Category: Tools

What Is a Side Hustle and How Do You Make Money Through One?

In reality, many traditional 9-to-5 jobs often fall short of covering essential expenses, especially for those at the beginning of their careers.

When you factor in rent, food, bills, and transportation costs, you might find there’s barely anything left over—a disappointing realization.

The most disheartening aspect is the limited financial growth. Perhaps a yearly bonus of a few hundred dollars and a 1% raise on a $30,000 salary. But is that truly enough to live the life you’ve envisioned? Possibly, but more likely not.

So, many opt for a side hustle, aiming to earn a few extra hundred or even thousand dollars per month. It serves as a supplementary income stream that could contribute to immediate or future financial gains, acting as a safety net in case of sudden job loss.

A side hustle represents an avenue to earn outside the confines of a 9-to-5 job. It provides the opportunity to generate extra income, affording the freedom to pursue passions, meet needs, indulge wants, and alleviate financial concerns.

Let’s explore some of the best side jobs that enable earning more while working from home.

How to Make Money On The Side: 30 Great Side Hustles to Pursue

1. Freelancing

Freelancing stands as a proven method to earn additional income and rightfully claims a prominent spot on any list of simple side hustles. Freelancers provide services on a project-by-project basis for one or multiple clients, allowing them to set their own schedules. In-demand roles include freelance graphic designers, writers, editors, and website developers, while various other professions also present freelance opportunities. Talented mechanics, adept bookkeepers, video editors with proficiency, interior decorators, and licensed real estate agents can find project-based work that suits their skills in a flexible manner.

Marketing your freelance skills can be done cost-effectively by leveraging your personal network through emails and social media platforms. Additionally, freelancer portals such as Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer.com offer avenues to connect with potential clients while handling project management and payment processing on your behalf. Establishing an online presence through your website not only adds a professional touch but also enables you to offer convenient online invoicing and payment options through platforms like Square or other online payment providers.

2. Blogging

If you have a passion for sharing information through writing, starting a niche-focused blog could be your avenue. Whether it’s about travel, food, beauty, or fashion, as you draw in an audience, there’s potential to monetize through ads or affiliate sales. Ads generate income based on views or clicks, while affiliate sales reward you for promoting products or services. You receive a commission when someone purchases through your affiliate link.

In terms of expenses and platforms, expect to invest around $50 to $100 annually to maintain a basic blog. This includes purchasing a domain and setting up a blog website, which can be achieved using WordPress hosting services or user-friendly web builder platforms like Wix or Squarespace. These platforms offer intuitive design tools and appealing templates, eliminating the need to hire a designer or developer.

3. Dog Walking

If you adore dogs but lack the time or space for pet sitting or setting up a doggie daycare, consider a dog-walking service as your ideal side hustle. It seamlessly fits into a hectic schedule and offers the added perk of staying active while earning extra income.

Expenses and platforms for this venture are minimal. Typically, owners provide leashes, but it might be wise to invest in a few leashes and waste bags. Urban areas offer opportunities for dog walking through platforms like Wag!, TimetoPet, and Rover. Alternatively, you can handle your own bookings and payments using Square’s complimentary tools.

4. Tech Setup Services

When diving into the realm of technological prowess, does your proficiency encompass the intricate web of home networks, the intricacies of smart devices, the complexities of computers, and the intricacies of phones? Capitalizing on this multifaceted skill set presents an avenue for additional earnings by proffering your expertise across social media channels or the array of handyman applications nestled within the folds of your community. It’s prudent to contemplate the acquisition of tech certifications, insurance coverage, and bonding mechanisms to augment the credibility associated with in-home service provisions.

While the upfront and continuous costs tend to reside on the minimal spectrum, the initiation of such endeavors within your domicile might necessitate prudent investments in specialized tools to facilitate installations. Scour for prospects and effectively orchestrate your engagements through the portals of esteemed handyman platforms such as HelloTech and TaskRabbit. Alternatively, streamline the administration of your bookings and the orchestration of payments with utmost efficiency leveraging the resources extended by Square.

5. Pet Sitting and Doggie Day Care

For animal enthusiasts, a pet-sitting side hustle offers an easy setup and promotional path. Whether providing in-home care while owners work or travel or hosting pets in your own space for short-term or extended stays, it’s a rewarding venture. Note that certain states or areas might necessitate permits, so be sure to check local requirements. Additionally, consider offering pet insurance to boost your earnings.

The expenses for in-home care are minimal, but if you’re setting up in your own space, initial investments in kennels or gates might be necessary. Scout for clients and manage your gigs efficiently using popular pet-sitting platforms like Rover or Care.com. Alternatively, create your own booking and payment system using the free tools offered by Square.

6. Senior Sitting and Companion

Thanks to the advancements in at-home senior care, many families are choosing to care for their aging loved ones at home. This trend creates opportunities for individuals seeking to earn extra money by providing companionship or sitting services while the primary caregivers are unavailable. To enhance the credibility of your services, consider taking CPR and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) courses.

This side hustle typically incurs low costs. You can advertise your services and handle clients through caregiving platforms like Care.com, Sittercity, and Papa.com, or opt to manage your bookings and payments using Square if you prefer an independent approach.

7. Personal Assistant

Busy professionals often look for help managing their day-to-day tasks and often prefer having one person handle everything instead of using multiple service apps. This creates a great opportunity for a side hustler who enjoys ticking off various tasks from a to-do list, whether it’s grocery shopping, picking up dry cleaning, walking dogs, or ensuring kids safely reach their destinations.

Starting a personal assistant side gig usually doesn’t involve high costs, although in less urban areas, having a vehicle might be necessary. Popular platforms to offer personal assistant services include Thumbtack.com and TaskRabbit.com. You can also manage your own scheduling and payments using Square if you prefer.

8. Babysitting and Child Care

Providing babysitting and in-home child care is a highly sought-after service, presenting a great opportunity to earn extra income in your spare time or according to a set schedule. While certification isn’t mandatory in most areas, the American Red Cross offers babysitting certification courses, available online or in person, covering CPR, first aid, and effective behavior management techniques, enhancing your credibility.

Typically, this side hustle doesn’t involve significant costs. You can promote your services, handle assignments, and receive payments via apps like Care.com, Sittercity, and UrbanSitter. Alternatively, if you prefer greater autonomy, you can manage your scheduling and payments using Square.

9. Mobile Car Washing and Detailing

Offering car washing services is a cost-effective side hustle, perfect for those who enjoy working outdoors. You can provide this service to individuals at their residences or partner with local businesses that manage fleet vehicles or desire to offer weekly car washes as a staff benefit.

The primary startup costs for this side hustle include cleaning tools, a reliable hose and nozzle, and a vehicle. You can utilize mobile car wash gigs and payment apps like MobileWash and Spiffy. Alternatively, if you prefer more control, you can manage your own bookings and payments using Square.

10. Local Handyman

Are you the go-to person among your friends for fixing a light switch or installing a ceiling fan? Capitalize on your handyman skills during your free time by assisting your neighbors with their home improvement tasks. To build trust and credibility with your clients and protect yourself, you can opt to get insured and bonded, although this isn’t mandatory in most places.

The expenses for this side hustle are minimal, especially if you already own the necessary tools. Utilize handyman apps like Thumbtack.com, TaskRabbit, and Angi to advertise your services, manage jobs, and handle payments. Alternatively, if you prefer more control, set up your own scheduling and payments using Square.

11. Virtual Assistant

Delving into the realm of virtual assistants, one encounters a multifaceted landscape where these digital envoys juggle a plethora of online duties. These encompass the orchestration of appointments, the meticulous curation of customer emails, the intricate structuring of travel logistics, the meticulous artistry of data entry, and a myriad more. Should one possess an adeptness with technology and an innate sense of organization, the transition into the virtual assistant sphere emerges as an awe-inspiring pathway toward pocketing a supplementary income while ensconced within the sanctuary of home during one’s leisure hours.

This grand endeavor necessitates but a duo of indispensable instruments: a dependable, steadfast computer tethered to the boundless expanse of the internet. It is within these digital sanctuaries that platforms like TaskRabbit, ChatterBoss, and Upwork coalesce, acting as virtual springboards for these multifaceted assistants. These platforms, in their splendid orchestration, extend a supporting arm, facilitating the marketing of services, the nimble management of tasks, and the adept navigation through the labyrinth of payment conduits. However, should one harbor a desire for enhanced independence and autonomy, the gallant option of orchestrating personal bookings and securing payments is wielded through the instrumentality of Square.

12. Sell at Local Markets and Festivals

Engaging in product-centric side hustles often involves profiting through the sale of unique items sourced or crafted by the hustlers themselves, showcased at local markets and fairs. While this endeavor demands considerable time for travel and setup, it serves as a rewarding pursuit for those who relish social interactions and revel in the camaraderie of face-to-face engagements. Moreover, these in-person sales serve as fertile ground for nurturing brand recognition and amplifying visibility across online platforms, fostering sales even during interludes between market appearances.

Embarking on this venture encompasses a spectrum of startup costs, spanning from a modest sum to more substantial investments, contingent upon the stocking needs for your booth. To mitigate initial financial outlays, align with suppliers offering support for returns of unsold inventory or focus on personalized, made-to-order items that do not necessitate substantial stockpiling. Faire emerges as a commendable avenue for procuring distinctive resale and private-label merchandise while facilitating returns for unsold inventory. Additionally, integrating a free Square account enables seamless acceptance of in-person card payments, facilitates efficient sales tracking through a sleek mobile Point-of-Sale system, and synergizes with your Square e-commerce website for cohesive online-offline sales synchronization.

13. Tutoring and Instruction

Are your talents rooted in academia, music, fine arts, or sports? The demand for tutors and personal instructors remains incessant, unveiling a myriad of flexible opportunities for side hustles. You can promote instructional services both in-person and virtually, catering to parents seeking convenient sessions for their children while also considering the prospect of adult learners. Adults, keen on broadening their horizons, often avail themselves of sessions even during traditional school hours, offering flexibility for your side hustle schedule.

Launching into this venture typically incurs minimal startup costs, presenting a gateway adorned with apps and online platforms like Wyzant, Skooli, and TakeLessons.com. These platforms serve as hubs to market your services, oversee engagements, and facilitate seamless payments. Alternatively, should you prefer a hands-on approach, managing bookings and payments independently becomes feasible through the utilization of Square.

14. Self-publishing Ebooks

Self-publishing ebooks emerge as a promising side hustle, tailor-made for writers; however, mastery in the art of wordsmithing isn’t a prerequisite to seize this opportunity. Should you possess the knack for spinning a captivating tale or elucidating a procedural guide, the enlistment of ghostwriters and editors becomes a viable route to finesse and refine your work. Subsequently, utilizing platforms like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble Press, and Lulu, among others, facilitates the publication process, beckoning the anticipation of burgeoning royalties.

The fiscal landscape of self-publishing ebooks exhibits remarkable variability in costs. For those venturing to craft their literary opus and conceive original cover art, the expenses remain minimal. Conversely, authors seeking professional cover designs and editorial prowess often allocate upwards of $100 per title for publication. Ghostwriters command fees upwards of $200, contingent upon the manuscript’s length and complexity. Although many ebook platforms offer free publication, they levy a percentage of the sale price, while additional costs materialize through marketing endeavors.

15. Online Courses and Coaching

Do you happen to have expertise in a specific field? Monetizing your expertise through the creation and sale of online courses and coaching programs during your spare moments presents a promising side hustle opportunity. Thanks to the advent of user-friendly and cost-effective online course platforms, launching this venture has become effortlessly attainable. Coupled with strategic utilization of social media, ebooks, YouTube, and blogging, these online courses and coaching side hustles have the potential to burgeon into a profitable enterprise.

The landscape of costs and platforms in this domain boasts a spectrum of options. Platforms like Udemy, Thinkific, and Podia streamline the course creation process and offer avenues for personalized coaching. While most of these platforms entail monthly fees or retain a fraction of the course fee upon sale, they provide comprehensive support. Alternatively, incorporating online courses and exclusive member content into website platforms such as WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, and others empowers the creation of a personalized branded platform tailored to your vision.

16. Digital Product Sales

Do you possess a knack for creativity? Crafting and selling digital products in your spare time presents itself as a low to no-cost side hustle endeavor. Digital art, logos, music, photography, video, and website design templates comprise a thriving market. By digitally creating these items and making them available for download through your website, social media channels, and various digital product platforms, you can capitalize on this burgeoning market.

The pathway to creating digital products can be forged through your own graphic, photo, video, or music software. Alternatively, you can leverage free online platforms like Canva, PhotoPea, or the Garageband app for your creative pursuits. Monetizing your creations becomes feasible through channels like your personal website, an Etsy store, or by uploading your work to creative marketplaces such as Canva, Envato Market, Creative Fabrica, Shutterstock, iTunes, SoundCloud, and numerous others.

17. YouTube Channel

Engaging in YouTube side hustles offers a remarkable avenue to generate income during your spare moments by sharing your expertise, discussing current events, or offering entertainment. YouTube, being an open platform, allows for monetization once you’ve attained a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and an average of over 4,000 hours of video views annually. Though it may require time and effort, achieving these benchmarks can pave the way to earning substantial monthly income. Numerous committed side hustlers have successfully transformed their YouTube channels into lucrative full-time ventures.

YouTube welcomes users without any membership fees, offering the liberty to upload an unlimited number of videos at no cost. Crafting videos can be accomplished using a smartphone equipped with a quality camera alongside free video editing applications like iMovie, Loom, Canva, and AdobeSpark. To expand the reach of your YouTube channel, leveraging low-cost YouTube advertisements and sharing videos across your blog and social media profiles can significantly bolster growth.

18. Create a Podcast

Podcasting stands out as another prevalent, cost-effective side hustle idea that’s straightforward to initiate and cultivate. Podcasts, comprising pre-recorded audio files, enable you to craft, refine, and distribute content through podcasting services, granting listeners the flexibility to access episodes at their convenience. The monetization avenues for podcasts encompass advertising, sponsored content, integrating affiliate links within podcast descriptions, and offering paid subscriptions.

Launching and managing a podcast demands minimal expenses. You can utilize built-in audio recording apps on your smartphone, tablet, or computer for recording and editing purposes. Subsequently, these episodes can be uploaded to dedicated channels created on platforms such as iTunes, Anchor, Buzzsprout, and various others. While some platforms offer free plans, many extend premium paid options supporting earnings through paid listener subscriptions, downloads, and sharing ad revenue.

19. Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketers who thrive have mastered the art of crafting a brand presence by sharing captivating content across various platforms, encompassing an affiliate website, blog, podcast channel, social media profiles, and YouTube channel. Their revenue streams stem from diverse content formats, spanning product reviews, engaging videos, informative tutorials, daring social commentary, and more.

Launching an influencer brand as a side hustle is within reach, leveraging avenues like affiliate links, ad revenue, and sponsored content for monetization once your content garners a substantial viewership and follower base. For instance, earning through YouTube necessitates 1,000 channel subscribers and 4,000 hours of yearly views, whereas Facebook Reels profiles demand 100,000 reel plays within 30 days to initiate payouts.

Embarking on this journey incurs minimal costs, especially on social media and YouTube where account creation comes without any fees. Establishing a website and blog can be initiated for free or at a low cost using platforms like WordPress, SquareSpace, and Wix, among others, with the flexibility to upgrade storage and features as your audience and content expand.

20. Viral Social Media Creator

Crafting viral social media content spans various formats, presenting an opportunity for monetization if you possess the knack for its creation. Leading platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram offer creator programs that enable the monetization of diverse content, ranging from engaging entertainment shorts to informative how-to guides and commentary videos. While high viewership volumes are essential for earning, this side hustle promises a fun and cost-effective avenue with considerable income potential.

This side hustle venture entails no initial costs. Social media platforms provide free access, allowing unlimited uploads of posts and videos. Additionally, most platforms furnish complimentary post and video creation tools, thereby requiring nothing more than a cell phone equipped with a camera to commence your journey.

21. Become an E-commerce Reseller

Numerous thriving side hustles revolve around traditional e-commerce models, involving the procurement, stocking, and sale of a varied inventory sourced from multiple vendors. This pursuit demands more upfront investment and dedication in comparison to other side hustle concepts. Nonetheless, many entrepreneurs have cultivated thriving full-time ventures from this endeavor. To bolster earnings, one can diversify by integrating standard e-commerce sales with Print-on-Demand (POD) goods, dropshipping products, and affiliate blogging income.

Launching into this side hustle usually incurs initial costs ranging between $500 to $5000 or more, contingent upon the scale of initial stock purchases. However, entry into esteemed e-commerce platforms remains reasonably priced. Starter plans available on platforms like Shopify, WordPress with WooCommerce, and Weebly by Square encompass options ranging from free to a modest $29 per month.

22. Take Online Surveys

Numerous marketing research firms eagerly compensate individuals for their perspectives on a wide array of products, systems, and subjects. While this side hustle doesn’t contribute to building your own business, it serves as a simple method to earn extra income during your free time. Most survey platforms necessitate the creation of an online account and linkage to payment services like PayPal, Venmo, or CashApp. Subsequently, you can browse and enlist for surveys of interest through an app or online dashboard. Upon selection, completing the questionnaire or project typically results in payment within a few days. Compensation for surveys often ranges from $2 to $10 for brief time investments, while more exhaustive product reviews or questionnaires can fetch upwards of $100.

Engaging in this side hustle doesn’t entail any upfront or recurring fees. Reputable survey platforms like User Interviews, Survey Junkie, and Dscout refrain from charging such costs. However, navigating and applying for various opportunities can consume considerable time. To optimize efficiency, scrutinize survey or project descriptions to confirm that you align with their target demographic.

23. Test Apps and Platforms

Market research firms, as well as app and game developers, along with website designers, actively seek individuals of varying technical abilities to assess their platforms and furnish user feedback. Similar to online survey side hustles, app and platform testing doesn’t contribute to establishing a business. Nevertheless, with payouts ranging from $10 to $150 or even more for a few minutes or hours of your time, it can prove to be highly lucrative.

Participating in this side hustle entails zero costs as there are no expenses associated with applying for legitimate testing opportunities. Prominent platforms like Swagbucks, UserTesting, and Enroll stand out among the top choices for exploring app and software testing engagements.

24. Sell Artisan Products

If you have a passion for painting, woodworking, baking, sewing, knitting, or crafting handmade items, you can transform that passion into profit by selling artisanal products in your spare time. To capitalize on this side hustle, offer your ready-made or customized handcrafted goods for sale both online and at local fairs and markets.

While this side hustle requires initial investment in supplies and tools, you can start marketing and selling online with minimal upfront costs using platforms like Etsy, your personalized e-commerce website, and social media channels. For those aiming to sell both online and in person, platforms such as Square or Shopify are worth considering. These platforms provide comprehensive systems with seamlessly integrated online stores, retail Point-of-Sale (POS) applications, and mobile card readers.

25. Sell Goods Via Dropshipping

Dropshipping offers an avenue to set up a robust online store minus the hassle of purchasing, stocking, or handling the shipping of items sold. In this setup, expenses arise only for the items sold at the time of customer purchase. Storage, packaging, and shipping responsibilities rest with the dropship vendors, who then bill you for the wholesale item and shipping costs per order. Although managing your website and customer service can demand time, dropshipping stands as an affordable and straightforward entryway into e-commerce sales.

Foraying into this side hustle necessitates a dependable e-commerce platform that seamlessly integrates with dropshipping vendors. Optimal choices include platforms like Shopify, WordPress with WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. Reputed dropshipping suppliers such as Doba, AliExpress, and Sprocket serve as excellent starting points for assembling your product inventory.

26. Sell Print-on-Demand (POD) Products

Do you enjoy crafting engaging graphics or possess a knack for illustration or photography? You can translate your creativity into additional income by featuring your creations on a variety of Print-on-Demand (POD) products like t-shirts, mugs, pillows, wall décor, and more. This side hustle concept operates similarly to dropshipping as the POD vendor manages all the logistical aspects. Your role involves uploading your artwork and applying it to different printable items to curate a product assortment. Upon order placement, the POD vendor handles printing, packaging, and shipping, billing you for the wholesale cost and shipping fee.

Similar to dropshipping, you’ll require an e-commerce platform that seamlessly integrates with POD vendors like Shopify, WordPress with WooCommerce, or BigCommerce. To explore POD items, commencing with established suppliers such as Printful, CustomCat, and Printify is a solid starting point.

27. Self-Publish Print-on-Demand (POD) Books

Do you wield a pen or a brush, or perhaps, aspire to capitalize on the latest trends in self-publishing? If so, diving into the world of Print-on-Demand (POD) books might be the ideal side hustle for you. POD books encompass a wide spectrum, ranging from novels and nonfiction to notebooks, planners, cookbooks, coloring books, puzzle books, and beyond. Utilizing free or cost-effective online tools, you can craft these books and then upload the digital files onto POD book sales platforms. When a customer makes a purchase, the sales platform handles the printing and shipping of physical books while compensating you with a royalty.

Numerous free and budget-friendly platforms facilitate the creation of POD book files, such as Canva, Reedsy, and the BookBolt Studio. Listing your titles on leading POD bookseller platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Lulu, and IngramSpark entails no charges. Printing and shipping costs are only incurred upon book sale, eliminating any upfront print fees for this side hustle concept.

28. Sell Products Using Retail Arbitrage

Do you possess a keen eye for great deals and don’t shy away from a bit of price investigation? If so, retail arbitrage might just be the side hustle you’re seeking. This hustle involves snagging clearance and discounted products from retail stores and reselling them online at a higher price. With a readiness to explore local sales, conduct price comparisons across platforms like Amazon, WalMart.com, and other online marketplaces, and invest in purchasing goods, this hustle has the potential for substantial returns.

Engaging in retail arbitrage incurs upfront expenses for purchasing and shipping products, coupled with the time investment required for store visits and price comparisons. However, leveraging free and budget-friendly price checker apps like Amazon Seller App, Profit Bandit, and Scoutly can aid in making astute buying decisions.

29. Sell Private Label Products

Many individuals pursuing side hustles craft distinctive branded products utilizing private label suppliers. These suppliers manufacture existing products but package them using your logo, labels, and distinct packaging specifications. This supplier approach is particularly suitable for a side hustle since most private label sellers have lower minimum order requirements compared to sourcing proprietary goods directly from a factory.

Private label items enable the creation of a comprehensive array of products, such as a line of cosmetics, a collection of kitchen tools, or a gourmet food brand, without necessitating a significant initial investment. Similar to various other product-centric side hustle ideas, you can wholesale private label goods or directly vend them through your personal website, social media platforms, and marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart.

Commencing a private label side hustle may entail startup costs ranging from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, contingent upon the specific items you intend to procure. Nevertheless, certain suppliers offer return policies for unsold items and facilitate dropshipping, thereby reducing your initial investment. Explore private label merchandise available on platforms like Faire, Alibaba.com, and Mana Products. Consider selling through a cost-effective e-commerce website using platforms such as Shopify, Weebly by Square, or WordPress with WooCommerce.

30. Sell Proprietary Goods

If you’ve got a product concept and are open to investing upfront, collaborating with factories to create proprietary goods might be your path. Numerous side hustlers opt to tweak existing products, make enhancements, and manufacture them at a reasonable expense. You can wholesale these items under your own label to retailers, and also retail directly to consumers through your website, Amazon, Walmart, and social media marketplaces. This side hustle idea has paved the way for many successful ventures, but it demands thorough research and effort to achieve success.

Initial costs for this endeavor can vary widely, ranging from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, contingent upon your product design specifications and factory orders. However, the primary cost primarily lies here. The search for factories and customized suppliers on Alibaba.com incurs no charges. Additionally, e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WordPress with WooCommerce, and Weebly by Square offer options ranging from free plans to just $29 per month.

Note: Side Hustles to Avoid

Certain side hustles appear to offer promising income opportunities. However, in truth, numerous ventures demand significant investments of time, money, or both, and often yield limited returns unless approached with a substantial commitment. Here are some warning signs to be mindful of when evaluating side hustle opportunities and gig work.

Hustles That Require Licensing or Certification

Salon services, real estate sales, and certified accounting and tax preparation are frequently recommended as prime side hustle options. Although these industries can yield substantial profits, acquiring the necessary education and obtaining licenses or certifications is imperative. To attain these qualifications, you’ll typically invest anywhere from $500 to $10,000 or more for initial education and cover initial and annual licensing fees in most states.

While this investment could prove rewarding if you aim to establish a career in these sectors, it’s crucial to acknowledge that it demands significant time and financial commitments, without assured returns if your goal is merely to earn supplementary income.

Multilevel Marketing (MLM) Schemes

MLM companies excel at presenting appealing financial opportunities and seemingly easy earnings, and indeed, many individuals succeed within this system. However, it’s crucial to thoroughly examine any MLM opportunity, taking into account its considerable costs and the necessary investment in products. Evaluating their sales and profit model is pivotal. Generally, significant profits in this model hinge on establishing a wide network of downstream salespeople, requiring continual time and dedication.

If you thrive in high-pressure sales environments, an MLM side hustle might suit your skill set. However, if that’s not your forte, there’s a risk of accumulating unsold inventory without the option of returning it, potentially resulting in minimal or no profits.

Side Hustle Coaching Programs

As you delve into different side hustle ideas, you’ll likely encounter coaching programs promoting substantial profits and the promise of rapid success. These are adept marketers who skillfully persuade you to invest hundreds or thousands of dollars in their seemingly “foolproof” systems. While certain coaching programs offer valuable techniques and sound advice, none guarantee instant wealth.

Prior to investing in any coaching program, consider exploring free resources on YouTube, Google, and Kindle Unlimited. You can find free videos, how-to articles, and e-books pertaining to the side hustle ideas that pique your interest. In most instances, ample free information is available to assist you in launching and nurturing your side hustle.

SiSu Freedom’s opinion

Engaging in side hustles presents an excellent means to supplement income, delve into passions, or initiate a new business during leisure hours. Given the myriad side hustle opportunities available, it’s prudent to assess the options and ascertain which align with your skills, objectives, budget, and time availability. It’s essential to acknowledge that no side hustle ensures guaranteed success or instant wealth, despite the assertions of some clever marketers and coaches. Similar to any business endeavor, a side hustle demands attention, dedication, and consistent effort. When managed effectively, they offer substantial potential for profit and expansion, potentially evolving into a full-fledged career.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a side hustle?

A side hustle refers to a part-time job, freelance work, or business pursued during spare hours, often alongside a full-time job. Prominent side hustle concepts encompass running e-commerce stores, selling handmade crafts during weekends, providing tutoring services, and generating income through blogging with affiliates and advertisements.

How do I start a side hustle?

To embark on a side hustle, begin by pinpointing a skill, service, or product you can offer, then devise a strategy to reach potential clients or buyers. This might entail establishing a website and a presence on social media to promote your side hustle or registering with gig platforms that facilitate connections with potential clients. Additionally, you’ll require a platform to manage services or orders and handle payments, such as Square, PayPal Zettle, Shopify, or WordPress with WooCommerce.

What is the best side hustle job?

The ideal side hustle varies based on your distinct skills, resources, and aspirations. Freelancing, tutoring, dog walking, and selling handmade crafts offer flexible and passion-fueled opportunities. Conversely, blogging, e-commerce, and social influencer marketing are suitable for tech-savvy individuals. After identifying the hustles aligned with your skills and interests, assess their costs and profit potential to determine the most suitable option for you.

What is the best business structure?

The optimal business structure primarily relies on your company’s formation, industry, and objectives. However, a successful structure should enable your business to establish achievable goals and effectively execute planned tasks.

What is a small business?

The United States Census Bureau reports that most U.S. businesses have fewer than five employees. But do these qualify as “small businesses”? It’s a bit nuanced.

The definition of a small business revolves around the size of the company (number of employees) and/or its yearly earnings. These parameters vary across industries and aren’t uniform. Revenue thresholds can span from $1 million to $40 million, while employee limits can vary from 100 to over 1,500. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) determines these standards.

The SBA maintains a Small Business Size Standards Table, detailing these criteria by industry, offering national guidelines. For instance, soybean farmers can earn up to $2 million annually, while retail bakeries must have fewer than 500 employees to be considered small businesses.

Though these specifics apply to the U.S., globally, many simply define small businesses as those with fewer than 250 employees.

Whether a business has 15 employees or 750, small businesses remain pivotal in the global economy and significantly contribute to U.S. financial growth. Managing a small business is demanding, yet it comes with distinctive advantages.

Are there benefits to being a small business?

Certainly! The definition of a business’s size directly impacts its eligibility for federal assistance. There are several key advantages that small businesses can leverage:

• Small Business Loans: The SBA can serve as a co-signer for small businesses seeking loans. Additionally, other banks offer small business loans, some with more favorable interest rates.
• Government Contracts: Access to federal contracts enables small businesses to compete on par with larger counterparts.
• Grants: Small businesses qualify for numerous grants aimed at fostering research and innovation. Since grants don’t require repayment, they provide substantial capital.
• Adaptability: With fewer employees comes streamlined internal processes, allowing small businesses to pivot swiftly and meet customers’ evolving needs.
• Uniqueness: Small businesses hold a special allure, drawing support from consumers seeking unique experiences. They often offer more personalized interactions compared to larger brands.
• Happiness: An impressive 74.86% of small business owners report being content with their work.

Small Business Employment Statistics

1. 99.9% of businesses across the US are small businesses

While big corporations often steal the limelight, the U.S. Small Business Administration reveals a different truth: the overwhelming majority of businesses in the U.S. are small enterprises. Surprisingly, there are a staggering 33.2 million small businesses spread across America.

2. Just 16% of small businesses have 1-19 employees

Although the majority of small businesses operate without any employees, 16% of them have a staff ranging from one to 19 individuals. Out of the 33.2 million small businesses, only 650,003 fall within the bracket of having 20 to 499 employees.

3. Nearly half of all U.S. employees are employed by a small business

Despite more than 80% of small businesses functioning without any employees, they collectively support a staggering 61.7 million workers. This vast number encompasses a substantial 46.4% of all employees in the United States, signifying a sizable workforce in contrast to the minority—less than 20%—of small businesses that maintain employees. This showcases the pivotal and impactful role small businesses assume in fostering employment opportunities, underlining their colossal significance not only in job creation but also in sustaining the broader societal framework of the nation.

4. Over 8 out of 10 small businesses have no employees

Out of the 33.2 million small businesses mentioned earlier, a striking 27.1 million are managed solely by a single owner and operate without any employees.

Small Business Job Creation

5. Small businesses have added over 12.9 million jobs in the last 25 years

While the typical small business is managed by a single founder, these enterprises remain significant sources of employment in the U.S. Within the last 25 years, small businesses have created nearly 13 million net new jobs. To put it in context, that amounts to approximately two-thirds of the total jobs contributed to the economy.

6. The professional and business services industry created over 1.1 million new jobs in the last year alone

Most of the recent job growth stems from the professional and business services sectors, contributing to over one million new positions in the past year. Conversely, reflecting the aftermath of the pandemic, the leisure and hospitality industries faced substantial job losses.

Overall, the job market has steadily rebounded over the last year, witnessing a surge in employment by 5.8 million—exceeding February 2020 levels by 240,000 positions.

7. The industry with the highest projected job growth is home health and personal care

Although the education and health services sector presently boasts the most job openings, the home health and personal care industry is poised for remarkable growth. Projections indicate a staggering surge of 924% in the coming decade. This forecasted expansion in the home health and personal care domains aligns with the escalating demand attributed to the disproportionate increase in the aging population compared to younger generations.

8. The industry with the most job openings in the education and health services industry

The demand for professionals in the education and health services sector isn’t a hidden fact, partly stemming from limited supply. Presently, this industry records the highest number of job openings. For individuals, it signifies a promising field offering job stability. Yet, for businesses, it implies a need to heavily invest in attracting and retaining staff in these industries.

9. The leisure and hospitality industry saw the biggest loss of jobs in 2022

From February 2020, the Leisure and Hospitality sector suffered a loss of 633,000 jobs. Yet, the industry stands on the brink of a significant rebound post-pandemic. Travel has not only resumed but has also witnessed a considerable surge in demand, spurred by the lifting of stay-at-home orders and the relaxation of international travel restrictions.

10. D.C. and New York have the highest unemployment rates in the nation

As per the latest data, the District of Columbia, the nation’s capital, holds the highest unemployment rate in the country at 5.1%. Following closely behind is New York at 4.7%. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Minnesota boasts the lowest unemployment rate, standing at a mere 1.9%.

11. Unemployment rates remain least affected in largely rural states

Even as D.C. and New York witnessed significant spikes in unemployment rates, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma maintained relatively stable rates, closely aligning with the previous year’s figures. This trend might suggest a potential correlation between rural states, population density, and unemployment rates. States with higher population densities tend to exhibit greater potential for elevated unemployment rates.

12. Only 14% of jobs lost during the pandemic will be recovered in 2023

In the upcoming year, employment in the U.S. is forecasted to grow by 1.3 million jobs. However, this follows significant job losses caused by the pandemic. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. faced a loss of 9.6 million jobs due to COVID-19 between May 2020 and September 2022. Consequently, the projected job growth for 2023 represents only a fraction of the pandemic-related losses. This underscores that although the nation is on the path to recovery, it still has a considerable distance to cover.

13. The fastest-growing industries are healthcare and social assistance

The healthcare and social assistance sectors not only demonstrate the highest survival rate among all industries but also stand out as the fastest-growing industry.

14. By 2031, only 87% of jobs lost during covid will be recovered

Estimates indicate that the U.S. will require slightly over a decade to completely recover from the job losses incurred during the pandemic. Based on available employment forecasts, a growth of 8.3 million jobs is anticipated by 2031. However, this figure represents only 87% of the 9.6 million jobs lost during the pandemic.

15. The industry that will add the most jobs is individual and family services

The individual and family services sector is anticipated to experience the most substantial growth, estimated to contribute over one million jobs between 2019 and 2029. Following closely behind is the computer systems and design industry, forecasted to add more than 574,000 jobs over the next decade, marking the second-highest job growth in the country.

Small Business Salaries & Wages

16. The average salary of a small business owner is just 3% above the annual mean wage in the U.S.

While business owners and entrepreneurs might constitute some of the wealthiest individuals globally, the average salary for a small business owner sits merely 3% above the national average mean wage of $58,260 at $60,151. It’s important to note that the average income for business owners varies significantly. On the lower end, small business owners typically earn an average salary of $29,000, while at the higher end, they can earn as much as $128,000, based on pay rate data sourced from Payscale.

17. Hourly earnings have increased over 5% over the last year

In the past year, hourly earnings have risen by 5.2%, while the average weekly hours dropped slightly by 0.1 hours to 34.5 hours in August. However, the annual inflation rate in the U.S. over the last 12 months stands at 7.7%. This discrepancy indicates that the growth in annual earnings does not match the escalating inflation rate.

Small Business Ownership Statistics

18. More small businesses are owned by males than females

While the gender gap is gradually reducing, women currently own only 43.2% of small businesses. Racial minorities hold ownership of 19.4% of small businesses, with Hispanics accounting for 13.8% of this subset. Veterans, on the other hand, are one of the least represented groups, owning merely 6.4% of small businesses in the U.S.

19. Millennials own just 7% of small businesses in the U.S.

Although the millennial generation is often seen as notably entrepreneurial, they only own about seven percent of small businesses. Gen Z follows closely behind, accounting for just one percent of small business ownership. Meanwhile, the majority of small businesses are owned by Boomers and Gen X, showcasing a clear “generation gap” in business ownership. Given that the reported average age to start a business is around 35 years old, it’s plausible that the younger generation might need a bit more time for their aspirations of business ownership to align with reality.

Online & E-Commerce Business Statistics

20. Nearly 1 out of 3 businesses still don’t have a website

Despite living in an era where building and maintaining websites has become simpler and more cost-effective, thanks to code-free website builders and extensive online resources, only 71% of businesses possess a website. Surprisingly, nearly one-third of businesses opt to remain website-free, with 20% utilizing social media as a substitute for creating a website. However, this approach might not be widely recommended, considering that millions rely on Google to explore businesses, whether for choosing a place to dine or purchasing an automobile.

21. Over 25% of business is conducted online

Still uncertain about the necessity of having a business website? Consider this: in 2021, there were 230.5 million e-commerce shoppers, accounting for over a quarter of all business transactions conducted online. With movement restrictions during the pandemic, consumers increasingly turned to the Internet for shopping, not just for items like apparel and footwear but also for groceries, alcohol, prescription medications, counseling, and various other goods and services.

22. Over three-quarters of shoppers visit a business’s website before their physical location

Operating in person doesn’t negate the need for brick-and-mortar businesses to have a website. Surprisingly, 76% of online shoppers reportedly browse a business’s website before actually visiting their physical store or location. This shift reflects the web as consumers’ primary destination. This trend benefits brick-and-mortar establishments, indicating that they need not rely solely on foot traffic or word of mouth to attract customers or clients to their doors.

Small Business Costs

23. Labor remains the number one cost for businesses at 70% of spending

Labor is the largest expense for most businesses, making up 70% of their spending and holding a considerable share of their budget. Because of this, it’s typical for businesses to prioritize cost-saving methods concerning labor expenses. These strategies could include layoffs, outsourcing tasks to more affordable staff in other countries, or introducing software that streamlines operations, thus decreasing the necessity for a larger workforce.

24. Inventory is the second biggest cost for small businesses

After labor, inventory stands as the next significant cost for businesses, typically comprising 17 to 25% of their budget on average. While inventory is expected to translate into revenue eventually, it poses a considerable initial expense for small businesses operating on constrained budgets. Consequently, the popularity of drop shipping is on the rise, along with smaller minimum quantity orders. These strategies aim to minimize the initial investment and storage space needed, not to mention reducing the risks associated with damage or spoilage of inventory.

25. Over half of all small businesses reportedly cut spending

Businesses are contending with a surge in inflation and increasing payroll costs, resulting in an overall uptick in operational expenses. This surge spans multiple facets, including heightened expenses related to human capital, materials, shipping, property taxes, building upkeep, and utilities. As a result, 57% of businesses undertook cost-cutting measures in the past year.

In response, businesses explored diverse strategies to reduce costs and minimize overhead. Some shifted entirely to remote work setups, cutting expenses associated with office space and in-office perks such as complimentary snacks and beverages. Others pursued more economical manufacturing contracts or suppliers, while an alternative tactic involved leveraging artificial intelligence to reduce downtime and boost productivity.

26. Advertising accounts for just 1% of a business’s revenue on average

While there’s often talk of colossal advertising budgets and campaign expenditures, advertising accounts for merely one percent of the average business’s revenue. Currently, one of the most widely used advertising channels, utilized by 55% of businesses, is social media. This popularity is likely attributed to the value of a pay-per-click-based ad platform, where advertisers incur costs only when users engage with their ad. Additionally, the ease of use across these platforms and their wide accessibility make them appealing to businesses of all sizes and financial capacities.

Small Business Survival Statistics

27. Over 180,000 more small businesses opened than closed in the last year

Between March 2020 and March 2021, around 1.1 million new small businesses emerged, as per data from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). This accounts for 180,528 more small businesses opening within this period than those that closed. This rise signifies a positive trend in business ownership and reflects a shift toward entrepreneurship following the pandemic’s widespread job losses.

28. 1 in 5 businesses fail within the first year

You’ve probably come across the statistic that portrays half of all businesses failing. However, this stat doesn’t reveal the full story. To gain a comprehensive understanding, consider that 20% of businesses fail in their first year, followed by 30% in the second year, and finally reaching 50% by the fifth year. This emphasizes the pivotal importance of the initial five years for new ventures.

29. Nearly half of businesses fail due to a lack of market demand

Among the businesses that fail within the initial five years, 42% do so due to a lack of market demand, as per data. This underscores the crucial importance of validating market demand before diving into a new venture. Moreover, it might indicate a gap in marketing strategies where there could be existing demand, yet a lack of awareness resulting in minimal interest or demand for the business, its services, and/or products.

30. The professional, scientific, and technical services industry has the highest failure rate

When it comes to failure rates by industry, the professional, scientific, and technical services sector exhibits the highest rate at 19.4% in the initial year. This high rate could be attributed to the industry’s dynamic and continually progressing nature. Its constant evolution not only affects the adoption rates of new products and services but also presents a moving target for businesses to navigate.

31. Running out of capital is the second most common reason small businesses fail

Following a lack of market demand, the subsequent leading cause of small business failure stands as running out of capital, accounting for 38% of cases. Initiating and managing a small business undoubtedly incurs significant expenses. Hence, business owners must accumulate sufficient capital to cover operational costs during the initial years until the business stabilizes and begins to generate profits rather than operating at a loss.

32. The industry with the highest survival rate is the healthcare and social assistance industries

The healthcare and social assistance industries exhibit the highest survival rates among sectors. Unlike the scientific and technical services industry, there’s typically a consistent demand for businesses operating within the healthcare sector. Despite ongoing evolution, the demand for healthcare services remains unwavering.

Conclusion: What do these statistics mean for small businesses?

Reviewing business statistics can provide small businesses with crucial insights. Data not only illuminates the broader business environment but also assists in forecasting future trends based on data patterns. While each business may interpret and apply data uniquely, this diversity in approach can offer a competitive edge to certain small businesses compared to those that do not actively analyze data.

The future of small businesses

Where is the future of small businesses headed? Small business statistics indicate the necessity for firms to adapt to the constantly evolving landscape, with technology playing a pivotal role in maintaining competitiveness.

For the 83% of small businesses planning to invest in technology soon, consider opting for an all-in-one solution for enhanced efficiency. Juggling between multiple tools consumes both time and resources that could be better allocated elsewhere.

Connected inventory performance solutions like Cin7 Core and Cin7 Omni serve as cloud-based inventory management software designed to provide growing product businesses with an automated, real-time overview of their entire inventory life cycle. By integrating with various applications, these solutions enable the consolidation, streamlining, automation, and scalability of inventory management—all from a single platform.

FAQ

What are the benefits of being a small business?

While small businesses encounter numerous challenges, they also possess several advantages over large corporations. Some of these key benefits include:

• Independence in your business and lifestyle
• Creative freedom
• Pride in your business
• Professional learning opportunities
• Close customer relationships

How many small businesses are there?

As of 2023, the United States is home to 33,185,559 small businesses.

How many businesses fail?

Typically, around 20% of businesses fail within their initial year. This failure rate climbs to 30% after the second year and reaches 50% by the fifth year. By the 10-year mark, it further rises to 65%.

How long does it take for a business to be profitable?

Around 40% of small businesses eventually turn profitable, often taking around two to three years. In the initial years, many business owners face losses or barely manage to break even.

What are the most used software types in business?

Typically, small businesses utilize anywhere between 25 and 50 SaaS tools. Surprisingly, about 80% of them feel they aren’t maximizing the full potential of these tools. Some of the most common tools employed by small businesses include:

• Accounting software
• Time tracking tools
• Project management systems
• Inventory management software
• Customer relationship management systems
• Communication tools
• Transactional/point-of-sale software

What Is Digital Marketing?

When it comes to digital marketing, whether it is called online marketing or internet-based marketing, the focus still revolves around harnessing digital technologies to attract potential buyers. Main target? Arouse interest and increase sales momentum for many products and services.

What makes digital marketing so appealing is the plethora of communication channels at your disposal. Think email, text messaging, the vast expansion of social media, and the ever-growing field of online advertising. It’s a playground full of opportunity, accessible through any gadget connected to the web.

Now, think of this guide as your treasure map in the vast sea of digital marketing. It’s a comprehensive resource filled with all the important information needed to build effective and impactful strategies tailored specifically to your business. Aspire to explore the essence of digital marketing, demystify the most effective methods, and delve into real-life cases that deliver astonishing and unprecedented results.

Why Is Digital Marketing Important in 2024?

Traditional marketing platforms like newspapers, broadcast television, and radio still hold significance, but their former dominance over vast audiences has waned. Success in marketing now hinges on reaching your audience where they reside, and today, that place is the internet.

In the United States alone, Statista reports a staggering 311 million internet users, a number continually on the rise. As digital usage skyrockets, so does the realm of opportunities for digital marketing. The significance isn’t solely due to the soaring internet usage; it’s crucial because the techniques employed in digital marketing yield extraordinary outcomes.

Recent Nielsen surveys among marketers revealed compelling statistics: 62% affirmed that social media marketing’s digital spending was either highly or very effective. Search marketing and online/mobile display marketing received commendable effectiveness ratings of 57% each, while online/mobile video soared to 58% in perceived effectiveness.

What Is a Digital Marketing Strategy?

A marketing plan lays out the roadmap you will take to achieve the goals set forth in your company’s business plan through marketing efforts. Meanwhile, a digital marketing strategy delves into the use of digital technology and communications to attract your target audience and convert prospects into customers.

Master digital marketing strategists use a variety of digital tools. From search engine optimization (SEO) to digital advertising, social media marketing, email marketing, and content marketing, these techniques work together to deliver exceptional results. Your digital strategy should meticulously detail the tools you will leverage and exactly how you will deploy them to benefit your business.

Types of Digital Marketing

Social Media Marketing

Looking at the statistics of social media usage is mind-boggling. An estimated 4.9 billion people globally are currently engaged in social media, and predictions suggest this number will soar to 5.9 billion by 2027.

As of 2024, the hierarchy remains stable: Facebook leads with a staggering 3.0 billion active users, followed by YouTube with 2.6 billion, WhatsApp and Instagram each boasting 2 billion users. LinkedIn holds strong with over 901 million users worldwide, while TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, and Pinterest each command a user base of over 450 million. These expansive audiences present an array of opportunities for marketers.

One standout advantage of social media marketing is its accessibility. You don’t necessarily need a hefty budget to make an impact. Each platform offers free account creation, enabling immediate content sharing even without advertising funds. Additionally, these channels provide avenues for targeted paid advertising, facilitating tailored campaigns to reach your ideal audience.

Social media has proven its prowess in driving sales; a notable 78% of consumers admit to purchasing a product after encountering it on social platforms. To optimize outcomes, starting with one or two social channels and gradually expanding is advisable. Consistency in engagement is pivotal for success in social media marketing; regular interaction with your audience is key.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Right now, there’s a strong likelihood that internet users are actively seeking the very products and services your business offers. However, these potential leads can only discover you if your company’s website prominently features on search engine results pages (SERPs). In essence, being visible and ranking high on Google search results are pivotal to being noticed.

Making an investment in search engine optimization (SEO) stands as one of the most astute marketing decisions you can make. Exceptional SEO practices can yield an ROI of 700% or even more. By strategizing upfront, you can ensure that your website content becomes easily discoverable by potential buyers. Moreover, employing compelling content and marketing messages aids in converting more website visitors into actual buyers.

For those working within a constrained budget, kickstarting your SEO journey is feasible using free tools like Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends for preliminary research. There are also paid SEO tools available that streamline the research and planning process, providing comprehensive insights to enhance your Google and other search engine rankings.

Understanding the intricacies of SEO can be intricate, and if it’s unfamiliar territory, hiring an expert could be a wise choice. Top-tier SEO services cover every facet of SEO, encompassing technical aspects, on- and off-page strategies, link-building, mobile optimization, keyword research, and SEO-driven content creation.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

There was a time when search engine marketing (SEM) encompassed all aspects of search-based marketing, including organic traffic growth-oriented SEO and fee-related paid SEO for sponsored posts with premium visibility on SERPs. However, in today’s landscape, SEM primarily denotes paid search initiatives.

SEM proves to be highly effective, especially for businesses that believe their potential customers are actively searching the Internet for relevant products or services with a genuine intention to purchase. For example, someone searching for “electrician near me” is likely close to hiring an electrician.

In general, the higher your business ranks on Google, the more traffic your website will attract. Therefore, investing in paid advertising to ensure higher rankings can give your company a competitive edge over your competitors.

Video Marketing

Video holds such paramount significance in today’s marketing landscape that it demands special acknowledgment as one of the most potent and captivating digital marketing strategies for fostering business expansion.

The versatility of video marketing spans across various platforms—from embedding videos on your website to leveraging them on social media platforms, incorporating them as a facet of content marketing, or integrating them into influencer marketing endeavors. According to a study conducted by animated video production company Wyzowl, a staggering 87% of marketers attested that video marketing contributed to a surge in sales, while an overwhelming 92% acknowledged video’s commendable return on investment.

Marketers frequently utilize diverse video formats such as sales pitches, explainer videos, testimonials, and product demonstrations. As per the Wyzowl study in 2022, a substantial 71% of marketers integrated videos into their social media strategies.

Email Marketing

Email marketing, although a longstanding tool, remains a potent asset in the arsenal of marketers. As of 2023, the staggering volume of emails sent and received daily surpasses 347 billion, projected to escalate to 376 billion by 2025. Notably, for every dollar invested in email marketing, an average return of $36 is garnered.

To harness the potential of email marketing, employing specialized software becomes imperative. Premium email marketing software simplifies contact management, facilitates email design and dissemination, and tracks crucial performance metrics like email open rates and conversions.

Numerous businesses opt for comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) systems to handle contact databases and orchestrate email marketing initiatives. Identifying the ideal software hinges on aligning with your precise business requirements. SiSu Freedom identified leading marketing CRMs for small businesses, citing HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho, and Zendesk as among the top contenders.

Content Marketing

In 1996, during a meeting at the American Society of Newspaper Editors, John F. Oppendahl coined the term “content marketing.” Since then, marketers have embraced this phrase to encompass all communication forms that offer value to specific audiences. A robust content marketing strategy has the potential to yield significant results by fostering a loyal following and driving sales through compelling content.

Content marketing takes various shapes—written, auditory, visual, or video-based. Blogs, e-books, case studies, infographics, white papers, podcasts, checklists, how-to guides, and both short- and long-form videos are widely used for content marketing. Engaging in content marketing or boosting content visibility spans platforms such as websites and social channels.

Effective content marketing strategies provide valuable insights that resonate with potential buyers’ needs and desires. Content can inform, entertain, educate, or persuade, but the emphasis should steer away from overt sales pitches and focus on being influential or enlightening. Exceptional content has the potential to go viral as audiences share content that resonates with others sharing similar needs and interests.

Podcast Marketing

Have you contemplated initiating a podcast for your business? Or delving into advertising prospects on influential podcasts within your industry? Both strategies hold significant value within the realm of digital marketing.

Numerous businesses utilize podcasting to heighten product visibility and fortify their brand as a credible authority. There’s a range of avenues to explore when tapping into the potential of podcast marketing. You might opt to launch your podcast, engage as a guest on industry-specific podcasts, or invest in advertising slots on niche podcast platforms.

Influencer Marketing

The surge in social media usage and the emergence of social stars with expansive fan bases have ignited a rapid ascent in influencer marketing in recent times.

Influencers boast large or precisely targeted audiences that diligently follow them across various social media platforms. As their title suggests, influencers possess the ability to leverage their “influence” to encourage their followers to purchase specific products or services. For instance, a mere Instagram post by someone like Selena Gomez, who commands over 420 million followers, featuring a particular brand’s mascara, could catapult sales for that product.

While an influencer’s endorsements hold sway over purchasing decisions, they come at a cost. Influencers charge a fee for promoting products and services to their audience. These fees fluctuate based on factors such as follower count, audience engagement, and the nature of the post—whether it’s a brief mention or an extensive personalized promotion.

While some influencers boast millions of social followers, others cater to smaller but potentially ideal audiences for specific brands. Influencer marketing can prove to be an invaluable asset for businesses that match their target consumers with an influencer’s fan base.

Short Message Service (SMS) Marketing

SMS or text marketing involves reaching potential buyers through simple text messages. It boasts exceptionally high open rates, with studies revealing that recipients open an impressive 98% of text messages.

However, SMS comes with its limitations. A single message allows only 160 characters, and there’s no room for visual design. Moreover, complying with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) mandates obtaining written permission before sending promotional texts—yet not everyone eagerly subscribes to receiving advertisements on their phones.

To embark on SMS marketing, partnering with a texting service is key. Top-notch mass texting services streamline the process, enabling your company’s marketing messages to efficiently reach your customer and prospect base.

What Are the Benefits of Digital Marketing?

Each form of digital marketing offers its unique advantages. For instance, LinkedIn marketing proves effective for connecting with business professionals, whereas Instagram and TikTok present boundless opportunities for B2C businesses. On the other hand, email marketing facilitates sustaining an online rapport with your contact base, while content marketing enables the delivery of substantial value to potential buyers.

Here are some key advantages of digital marketing:

• Accessible for every budget: Whether starting small or aiming for more significant outcomes, digital marketing offers options adaptable to various budgets.
• Viral potential: Engaging content tends to be widely shared in the digital realm, amplifying your marketing outreach as it gets circulated.
• Simple initiation: Basic digital marketing efforts require minimal essentials—a social account, a smartphone, or a computer—to kickstart your strategy.
• Behavior tracking: Most digital marketing forms enable tracking content views and engagement, allowing insights into viewer actions post-engagement.
• High ROI potential: When executed effectively, digital marketing holds the potential to yield remarkable returns on investment (ROI).

Digital Marketing Examples

If you spend time on any digital device during the day, chances are you come across numerous instances of digital marketing techniques. Here, we showcase how companies utilize content marketing, influencer marketing, and video marketing to promote their businesses.

Content Marketing Example

E-books stand as a favored content marketing tool. The key to their success lies in providing enough perceived value for individuals to share their contact information—typically an email, occasionally a physical address or phone number—to access them.

HubSpot, a leading provider of top-notch marketing CRMs, showcases a diverse range of free e-books on its website. They actively promote these resources through email and social media marketing, showcasing just one facet of HubSpot’s comprehensive digital marketing strategies.

Influencer Marketing Example

Gymshark, a British fitness wear brand, heavily embraces influencer marketing. One of their influential campaigns revolved around the idea that it takes 66 days to transform your life. To materialize this campaign, Gymshark collaborated with six TikTok influencers to propagate this message. Each influencer labeled their posts with #gymshark66, resulting in the campaign amassing over 45.5 million views.

Rahmel Dockery, renowned as @realdockery on TikTok with 4 million followers, is among Gymshark’s influencers. His TikTok post, tagged with @gymshark and #gymshark, garnered 3 million likes, 10.9 thousand comments, and 42.9 thousand shares. This significant outreach from a single post underscores the potency of partnering with fitting influencers for business endeavors.

Video Marketing Example

We learned about the marketing operations of monday.com, a cloud-based platform that helps businesses manage projects, tasks, and workflows. Using diverse digital marketing techniques, especially video, the company uses short-form videos to showcase the advantages and capabilities of its products. These videos are hosted on YouTube and widely promoted on the company’s website and social channels.

Digital Marketing Costs

The costs of digital marketing can be intricate to discern. Expenses in marketing fluctuate depending on the methods employed, the size and characteristics of the audience, policies set by advertisers and influencers, the software utilized, and the expenses incurred in creating digital promotional content.

Engaging in DIY digital marketing through social media might incur minimal expenses, while extensive ventures in email marketing, influencer marketing, and video marketing can extend into the thousands. The table provided below furnishes an outline of the expenses related to various types of digital marketing endeavors.

Digital Marketing Technique	Typical Costs for Small Businesses
Social Media Marketing	Engage in DIY at no cost. Alternatively, invest $11 to $85 hourly to enlist a social media manager for post management. Pay-per-click (PPC) ads on social platforms span from $1 to $5 per click.
SEO	Opt for DIY at no cost. Alternatively, employ an SEO agency and expect to pay between $50 to $200 per hour.
SEM	The cost of search PPC ads varies from $1 to $50 per click, contingent upon the targeted search term.
Content Marketing	Opt for DIY at no cost. Alternatively, allocate $30 to $120 hourly for copywriting services and $10 to $100 or more per hour for graphic design.
Email Marketing	For smaller contact lists, utilize providers like Mailchimp and Zoho Campaigns at no cost. Expect to pay between $59 to $80 per month for 5,000 contacts.
Influencer Marketing	Expenses fluctuate based on the platform, influencer, and post type. Influencers with smaller fan bases charge between $10 to $100 per post, whereas influencers with millions of fans charge $20,000 or more.
Video Marketing	Opt for DIY using a smartphone at no cost. Around 60% of marketers mention averaging $1,000 or less on each video, whereas 11% mention spending over $5,000 per video.
Podcast Marketing	Launch your podcast for free using available software. Podcast equipment prices can range between $50 to $5,000 or beyond, while professional podcast production services can span from $1,000 to $3,000 per month. Podcast advertising costs range from $20 to $100 per thousand listeners reached.
SMS Marketing	Expenses span from 2.1 cents per message to exceeding $200 per month.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the types of digital marketing?

The widely favored types of digital marketing encompass email marketing, SEO, influencer marketing, SMS marketing, and social media marketing. Additionally, content marketing, video marketing, and paid search stand out as excellent digital marketing techniques.

What is the easiest type of digital marketing?

Though every marketing endeavor demands a robust strategy, social media marketing stands as one of the simplest facets of digital marketing to commence. You can establish a free account on various social channels like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat, LinkedIn, or others. Once your account is active, you can promptly share valuable content about your products and services.

What is the best digital marketing platform?

The ideal digital marketing platform aligns with where your target audience invests their time. B2B businesses often find LinkedIn as a primary platform. Google Ads serves as an excellent choice for local service-based businesses. Meanwhile, consumer goods and services thrive on Instagram and TikTok, the leading digital platforms for this sector.

What is the best social media management software for digital marketers?

The top-notch social media management software includes Buffer, SocialPilot, and Sprout Social. Hootsuite excels at managing multiple platforms, whereas Zoho Social stands out for individual creators.

Is digital marketing a good career?

A career in digital marketing proves excellent for individuals passionate about marketing, equipped with strong communication skills, and at ease with digital technologies. Consider pursuing an online digital marketing degree to kick-start your journey to success in this field.

What Is Hostwinds?

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Hostwinds functions as a web hosting company. They focus on a variety of web hosting services, encompassing shared, VPS, dedicated servers, and cloud hosting. They aim to provide reliable and cost-effective web hosting solutions to businesses and individuals worldwide. Hostwinds is acknowledged for its exceptional customer service, swift dedicated servers, and easy-to-navigate control panel.

Let’s learn more about Hostwinds with SiSu Freedom in this article!

How Hostwinds Works

Hostwinds provides web hosting services for customers seeking to place their websites or web applications online. They run data centers worldwide and manage servers to support this.

They offer various hosting options:

• Shared Hosting: Ideal for small businesses or individuals not needing extensive server resources. It lets multiple websites share server resources like CPU, RAM, and disk space. Features include a free SSL certificate, cPanel control panel, a one-click app installer, and unlimited email accounts and subdomains.
• Business Hosting: Tailored for high-traffic websites with demanding workloads. Utilizes Solid-State Drives (SSD) and offers increased CPU processing time, higher node limits, and outbound email limits.
• Reseller Hosting: This enables individuals or businesses to buy Hostwinds’ hosting packages and resell them without mentioning Hostwinds. Users get a control panel to manage hosting accounts and create custom plans, perfect for web designers or entrepreneurs offering hosting services.
• White Label Reseller: Allows users to sell hosting plans under their brand while using Hostwinds’ infrastructure and support. Clients receive web hosting services under the user’s company name and branding.
• VPS Hosting: Provides a virtual private server (VPS) to host websites or applications. Hostwinds offers four Windows and Linux-based hosting plans.
• Dedicated Hosting: Offers fully customizable servers for specific needs. Users can select server configurations, including the operating system, RAM, storage, bandwidth, and IP addresses.
• Cloud Hosting: Flexible hosting solutions that can scale as per business requirements.

Is Hostwinds Right for Me?

Hostwinds suits small businesses seeking unlimited storage and bandwidth, particularly if expecting substantial website traffic. Yet, those seeking more cost-effective alternatives might consider other providers, as many competitors offer comparable features at lower rates.

Hostwinds caters to:

• Customers and businesses in search of diverse hosting options: With shared, VPS, dedicated, and reseller hosting, Hostwinds provides a variety of plans to suit different needs.
• Web developers, designers, and entrepreneurs: Offering hosting packages for resale with Hostwinds managing the technical side, along with full root access, various operating systems, customizable server setups, and a 99.9999% SLA.
• Small and medium-sized businesses: Hostwinds’ business hosting packages include solid-state drives, an updated cPanel, a simple Softaculous installation, and a Weebly website builder.

Hostwinds might not be suitable for:

• Customers looking for more affordable options: Its plans are slightly pricier compared to competitors, making it less ideal for budget-conscious users.
• Businesses requiring comprehensive backups: Hostwinds’ cloud hosting backups are an additional purchase, and they don’t allow a single add-on for multiple hosting plans.
• E-commerce businesses: Hostwinds lacks hosting plans tailored specifically for e-commerce, suggesting that better alternatives might be found elsewhere for such businesses.

What Sets Hostwinds Apart

Hostwinds proudly asserts full ownership of its servers, systems, and infrastructure, enabling swift and economical issue resolution. This, the company asserts, allows for passing on cost savings to its customers.

Every plan includes unlimited storage, bandwidth, and email accounts. Additionally, they provide complimentary website migration handled by support experts, assisting in devising personalized migration strategies.

Hostwinds Features

Hostwinds provides a strong lineup of features designed to fulfill the requirements of users in search of dependable and versatile hosting. This solution streamlines website migration, offers free SSL certificates, and ensures unlimited storage and bandwidth.

Storage and Bandwidth Limits

Hostwinds provides limitless bandwidth and disk space, extending even to its Basic plan. This allows unrestricted data flow between websites and visitors, without any caps or additional charges. On the other hand, unmetered bandwidth imposes boundaries on bandwidth usage. While it doesn’t limit visitor data transfer, it might impose speed limitations on the server.

Extras and Inclusions

Hostwinds packages encompass complimentary SSL certificates, a free domain, and a dedicated IP. The promotional deal is applicable solely for the initial billing cycle. Post that period, the price renews at a marginally higher rate.

Ease of Use

Hostwinds offers an intuitive control panel to oversee your hosting account, equipped with convenient features like one-click app installations, a powerful website builder, file management tools, swift shortcuts, and email account creation utilities.

User Dashboard/cPanel

Hostwinds’ cPanel offers website management features. Within the dashboard, you’ll find a file manager, email accounts for hosted domains, and FTP accounts. Additionally, there’s the choice to back up the entire cPanel or utilize Apache SpamAssassin for spam elimination.

Security

Hostwinds employs Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol and Internet Encryption Software to handle sensitive data, like credit card information. Free AutoSSL certificates are provided on shared and business hosting accounts. Additionally, RapidSSL and WildCard SSL certificates are available for an extra fee.

Nightly Backups

Hostwinds conducts daily website backups to safeguard crucial data and files. In case of issues like malware attacks, you can restore your website to a relatively recent version. Furthermore, you have the freedom to retain your backups indefinitely and access them whenever needed. This feature stands out as basic shared hosting plans often offer backups biweekly, weekly, or none at all, making this level of backup frequency quite uncommon.

Weebly Website Builder

The shared and business hosting plans offer Weebly, a user-friendly drag-and-drop website builder. It’s perfect for new small business owners aiming to build straightforward websites independently. With diverse themes available, you can personalize the layout and ensure it’s mobile-friendly. Alternatively, you can opt for other website builders like WordPress.

Hostwinds Performance

To thoroughly evaluate Hostwinds, we conducted multiple performance tests spanning several months. Employing GTmetrix, we assessed full-page loading speeds, while Sucuri helped gauge international load speeds. Additionally, UptimeRobot was utilized to measure site uptime – as you might have guessed.

Our testing utilized a website designed to replicate a fully functional site, incorporating HD images, JavaScript, and various other elements.

Sucuri

The international loading times showcased significant variation, ranging from an average of 0.697 seconds as the fastest to 4.364 seconds as the slowest, with an average of 3.338 seconds.

Performance near the data center was commendable, but notably poor in other regions. Hostwinds provides only three data centers – Seattle, Dallas, and Amsterdam – so locations outside these areas might experience slower loading times.

GTmetrix

The complete page load times spanned from a speedy 0.9 seconds to a slower 2.9 seconds, averaging 1.82 seconds. Generally, it’s advisable to maintain website load times under 2 seconds to retain user engagement, as visitors tend to leave beyond this threshold.

Your website’s performance significantly influences how people perceive your company and brand, making it an essential consideration. For business-oriented sites, opting for one of the Business plans or selecting a host with consistently superior performance might be preferable – for instance, Hostinger, which secured the highest score for shared hosting in our performance assessment.

UptimeRobot

The server uptime is claimed to be 99.9999%. However, over a span of three months, UptimeRobot documented an uptime of 99.982%. It’s not particularly poor, but it falls short of the assurance made by the marketing department.

SiSu Freedom’s Verdict

Hostwinds, a web hosting service, prides itself on swift speeds, 99.9999% server uptime, and unrestricted storage across all its plans. Customers appreciate the seamless website migration with just a few clicks and the provision of free SSL certificates. While Hostwinds caters to the preferences of small businesses with its feature set, its pricing tends to be higher compared to its competitors.

Pros

• Infinite storage and bandwidth
• Hostwinds possesses 100% ownership of its servers
• Around-the-clock customer support
• Nightly backups are included in the basic plan
• Complimentary SSL certificates
• Limitless subdomains

Cons

• The starting price for the most affordable plan is $5.24 per month
• No hosting specifically designed for e-commerce

Hostwinds Pricing and Plans

	Basic	Advanced	Ultimate
Introductory Pricing	$5.24 per month	$6.74 per month	$8.24 per month
Renewal Pricing	$6.99 per month	$8.99 per month	$10.99 per month
Storage	Unlimited disk space	Unlimited disk space	Unlimited disk space
Contract Lengths Available	One, three, six, we, 24 and 35 months	One, three, six, we, 24 and 35 months	One, three, six, we, 24 and 35 months
Bandwidth	Unlimited bandwidth	Unlimited bandwidth	Unlimited bandwidth
Free Domain Name	Not available	Not available	Not available
Free SSL Certificate	✔	✔	✔
cPanel	✔	✔	✔
Security	✔	✔	✔
Business Email	✔	✔	✔
Money-Back Guarantee	72 hours	72 hours	72 hours
Uptime Guarantee	99.9999% uptime guarantee	99.9999% uptime guarantee	99.9999% uptime guarantee
Customer Support	Live chat or ticketing system available 24/7	Live chat or ticketing system available 24/7	Live chat or ticketing system available 24/7

Basic

Unlike the majority of web hosting plans, every Hostwinds plan offers limitless storage and bandwidth, alongside an array of additional features like business email, a free SSL certificate, built-in security, and 24/7 support. The Basic plan stands apart by providing hosting for a single website, starting at $5.24 per month in terms of pricing.

Advanced

Alongside all the features included in the Basic plan, the Advanced plan offers hosting for up to four websites, with pricing starting at $6.74 per month.

Ultimate

Building upon the Basic plan’s offerings, the Ultimate plan provides unlimited website hosting and starts at just $8.24 per month, making it an excellent value for businesses handling multiple websites.

Hostwinds Customer Service and Support

Hostwinds provides round-the-clock live chat and a ticketing system accessible for all paid plans. Additionally, users can access an extensive knowledge base from the account dashboard. However, it doesn’t offer phone support, which is a limitation.

Hostwinds Alternatives and How They Compare

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Hostwinds vs. Namecheap

Namecheap provides diverse hosting plans: shared, WordPress, reseller, VPS, dedicated, and email hosting.

Each plan includes unmetered bandwidth, a free SSL certificate for one year, and a 20GB SSD storage limit. Conversely, Hostwinds offers unlimited disk space, hosting without limits, and a lifetime free SSL certificate.

Both offer customer support through live chat and a knowledge base. Regarding uptime guarantee, Namecheap’s 100% uptime slightly surpasses Hostwinds’ 99.9999% uptime.

Hostwinds vs. A2 Hosting

Hostwinds and A2 Hosting are recognized as prominent web hosting services in the market, providing similar services. Both assure uptime, unlimited bandwidth, free SSL certificates, robust cPanel, and business email.

Initially, A2 Hosting draws attention with its lower prices but lacks ample storage in its basic tier. Hostwinds, on the other hand, provides unlimited disk space, positioning itself as the preferable choice.

Hostwinds vs. Bluehost

A significant contrast between Hostwinds and Bluehost lies in their focus. Hostwinds offers various hosting plans, encompassing reseller, VPS, dedicated, and cloud hosting. Conversely, Bluehost excels in WordPress hosting.

Regrettably, Bluehost doesn’t disclose its uptime guarantee. Their most basic plan includes a 10GB SSD storage limit, while Hostwinds provides unlimited disk space. For an affordable WordPress hosting solution, Bluehost stands out. However, if you desire a broader range of hosting options and an intuitive interface, Hostwinds might be the preferable choice.

SiSu Freedom’s Expert Opinion

Hostwinds suits entrepreneurs, designers, web developers, and small to medium-sized businesses seeking dependable hosting services. It provides unlimited bandwidth and disk space, free SSL certificates, and free website migration. Additionally, it features a Weebly website builder for creating websites and conducts nightly backups for securing sensitive data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Hostwinds a good web host?

Hostwinds’ shared hosting plans fall in the middle ground when compared to other hosts. While it’s not subpar, it also doesn’t notably distinguish itself. However, Hostwinds’ prices are higher than those offered by its strongest competitors. If you seek budget-friendly yet impressive hosting, checking out Hostinger’s latest deals might be worthwhile.

Is Hostwinds’ VPS hosting any good?

Certainly, VPS hosting typically outperforms shared hosting, and Hostwinds’ VPS hosting likely follows this trend. Hostwinds’ VPS plans are notably cost-effective compared to numerous other providers. If you’re venturing into your first VPS experience, Hostwinds might be worth considering purely based on pricing.

Does Hostwinds offer shared hosting?

Yes, Hostwinds provides shared hosting among its array of services. Since this review primarily focuses on shared hosting, if you seek specifics, I highly suggest scrolling back up. To reinforce my previous statement: it’s decent, but there’s room for improvement.

How do you reach Hostwinds’ support?

The Hostwinds support team is available 24/7 through phone, live chat, email, and the ticket system. If you’re interested in details about support, consider scrolling back up to the support section. My personal experience with the support team was somewhat uncertain. Nonetheless, there are indeed ample avenues to contact them.

What is shared hosting?

Shared hosting involves sharing a server with other websites. You’ll have your own account and occasionally a dedicated IP address for hosting your website. Depending on the web hosting service, the company may back up all server data, encompassing that of other users. This cost-effective plan is suitable for most website types.

Where is Hostwinds based?

Hostwinds LLC, headquartered in Seattle, is renowned as a prominent web hosting company, recognized for its comprehensive range of services including shared server hosting, VPS hosting, cloud hosting, and dedicated server hosting.

What is the best-shared web hosting service?

The ideal shared web hosting service for your team hinges on your specific requirements. Hosting platforms differ in their features, pricing, and additional offerings. Considering these factors, HostGator emerged as our top choice among shared web hosting platforms.

What is a dedicated web server?

In contrast to a shared hosting plan, a dedicated web server is a service where your website resides on its own server. The primary advantage is enhanced security and faster speeds, especially beneficial for high-traffic websites. However, this option comes at a higher cost.

What Is Performance Management Software?

Performance management software helps organizations oversee employee performance by allowing managers to set goals, track progress, and offer feedback. It also supports succession planning and conducting performance reviews.

Performance management software enables managers to assess an employee’s job performance efficiently. It offers a platform where managers and their team members can:

1. Collaboratively set goals.
2. Track the progress of these goals.
3. Provide and receive feedback.
4. Communicate both praise and concerns.

This software assists employees in establishing and monitoring their professional objectives, impacting managerial decisions regarding bonuses and promotions. Conversely, it provides context for underperforming employees, aiding managers in finding ways to better support them through training, reassignment, or a performance improvement plan (PIP). Therefore, performance management software plays a crucial role in enhancing employee engagement, satisfaction, and ultimately, retention within the organization.

Moreover, the software facilitates ongoing communication between employees and managers by offering question prompts and enabling note-taking within the system. This ensures that issues are addressed promptly and fosters alignment between both parties. Additionally, these software solutions often integrate feedback not only from the manager but also from team members, assessing an employee’s ability to collaborate effectively within a team dynamic.

SiSu Freedom has assembled a list of the best performance management software for 2024 to assist you in making well-informed choices.

What Should You Look for in Performance Review Software?

When seeking suitable performance review software, consider these aspects:

1. User-Friendliness: Opt for a platform accessible to both managers and employees, ensuring easy navigation.
2. Customization: Look for software adaptable to your organization’s specific performance metrics and objectives.
3. Integration: Choose software that smoothly integrates with other tools your organization utilizes, streamlining data transfer.
4. Reporting and Analytics: Prioritize software with strong reporting and analytics capabilities to derive data-driven insights on workforce trends, strengths, and areas needing enhancement.

How Much Does Performance Management Software Cost?

The cost of performance management software varies significantly, ranging from $0 to over $1,000 per month. This pricing depends on the software’s features, offered integrations, and the number of users. Some performance management tools are part of a comprehensive platform, which might entail a higher price commitment.

Certain standalone performance management tools have free versions:

• FlowyTeam for one user
• Charma for up to four users
• Profit.co for up to five users

Other standalone software typically starts around $4 per person per month.

Here are examples of per-user prices from various performance management software vendors:

• Lattice: $4-$11 per person per month
• 15Five: $4-$16 per person per month
• Leapsome begins at $8 per individual per month
• PerformYard: $5-$10 per person per month

The number of employees in your organization plays a crucial role in determining costs. Small businesses and startups might consider free software options, but it’s essential to assess whether paid software, with more advanced features, aligns with your budget. Depending on your company size and financial plan, upgrading your current HRIS or HRMS to include performance management or choosing the add-on option might be a worthwhile consideration.

The Best Performance Management Software of 2024

1. Lattice: Best for Career Tracks

Lattice, topping the list, stands as a premier performance management software in the market. It boasts an extensive range of features encompassing goal tracking, compensation reviews, analytics, continuous feedback, public celebrations, onboarding, surveys, competencies, development plans, career tracking, and AI sentiment analysis. Their performance management plans, incorporating OKRs and goals, commence at $11 per person per month, while more streamlined options are accessible at $4 per person per month.

Lattice proves to be an ideal selection for businesses of various sizes and industries due to its comprehensive performance management suite.

Features:

• Automated rules, inline notes, and tags, along with pre-designed templates.
• Effortless integration with over 20 HR and productivity tools.
• Clear and transparent pricing.
• Among the top choices for performance management software, especially for expanding enterprises and HR teams.

2. Namely: Best Overall

Namely’s performance management software stands out as an excellent option for mid-sized businesses seeking an all-encompassing HR solution. It includes key performance management features like goal tracking, alignment, 360-degree feedback, performance reviews, competencies, and recognition. Additionally, it functions as a recruitment tool by aiding in job posting and syndication, applicant tracking, background checks, and offer letters.

Namely proves to be an ideal choice for medium-sized businesses requiring a thorough human resources solution.

Features:

• Management of Documents: Organizing and handling various types of documents.
• Integration with Email: Incorporating or connecting with email systems for streamlined communication.
• HR and Payroll Services: Providing services related to human resources and payroll management.
• Managing Payroll: Handling and overseeing payroll-related processes.
• Task Organization: Structuring and managing tasks efficiently.
• Employee Database: Maintaining a comprehensive record of employee information.
• Mobile Application: Accessing and utilizing services or features through a mobile app.
• Onboarding Processes: Facilitating procedures for integrating new employees into the organization.

3. BambooHR: Best for Its Mobile App

BambooHR secures the 3rd position among the Best Performance Management Software options. This mobile application empowers managers to establish, monitor, and distribute goals for individuals and teams. Notifications promptly alert progress updates, new comments, and goal completion. Managers conveniently overview their team’s progress on a single screen. Moreover, it enables precise feedback collection and insights from colleagues.

BambooHR stands out as the prime selection for businesses seeking a performance management system integrated with a mobile application.

Features:

• Excellent features for tracking time and vacations.
• Robust and customizable employee onboarding modules.
• Simple creation of organizational charts.
• Employee performance functionalities, including a structured performance review process.

4. Paycor: Best for Templates

Paycor offers top-tier performance management templates designed to aid in goal setting, conducting performance reviews, and delivering engaging feedback to employees. Access to performance data and analytics allows for trend identification and areas requiring enhancement. Notable features encompass team insights, coaching strategies derived from employee ratings, and personalized tools. Moreover, seamless integration with Outlook and Gmail adds to its functionality.

For businesses seeking a performance management template, Paycor stands as the ideal choice.

Features:

• Paycor provides analytics and charts for simplifying the interpretation of workforce data.
• The software discerns the drivers influencing specific workforce trends and compares your business to industry benchmarks.
• Paycor’s powerful tools streamline employee recruitment, onboarding, time tracking, and payroll management.
• Both the Paycor web app and mobile app offer user-friendly interfaces.

5. Synergita: Best for Sentiment Analysis

Synergita’s performance management software emerges as an unparalleled choice for businesses focused on elevating employee performance through the utilization of AI-powered sentiment analysis. By harnessing the prowess of machine learning, this software delves deep into feedback data, meticulously evaluating performance while swiftly identifying potential issues right from their inception. Its expansive repertoire of features comprises the establishment of performance goals, fostering peer appreciation, facilitating impactful one-on-one meetings, conducting perceptive employee perception surveys, incorporating comprehensive 360-degree feedback mechanisms, and crafting strategic development plans.

Features:

• Continuous Feedback and Coaching: Enables continual feedback and coaching dialogues to foster ongoing improvement initiatives.
• Performance Assessment: Streamlines performance evaluations while establishing connections between performance and incentives.
• Talent Cultivation: Identifies individuals with high potential, nurtures their growth, and assists in succession planning endeavors.
• Data-Powered Decision-Making: Accesses data to facilitate informed choices for performance assessments, culture evaluations, and high-potential (HIPO) assessments.

6. Workday: Best for Skills Management

Developing the talent within your organization stands as a vital strategy in performance management, and Workday’s array of skills management tools simplifies this process. Through this tool, you gain the ability to pinpoint skill deficiencies, monitor employee advancement toward objectives, and devise comprehensive development strategies. Additionally, leveraging performance management and succession planning functionalities aids in the identification of high-potential employees and the creation of succession plans.

For businesses seeking performance management software with robust skills management capabilities, Workday proves to be the ideal choice.

Features:

• Personal Details: Modify your home address, phone number, and emergency contacts.
• Employee Benefits: Access information regarding benefits.
• Payment Records, Tax Forms, and Direct Deposits: Review payslips, and tax documents, and manage direct deposit details.
• Hour Records: Keep track of timesheets.
• Expenditures: Manage and record expenses.
• Interactive Organizational Charts: Access and interact with organizational charts.
• Leave Management: Handle requests for time off.
• Employee Performance Appraisals: Access and conduct performance reviews.

7. PerformYard: Best for Continuous Feedback

PerformYard secures the 7th spot among the listed performance management software options. It serves as a robust choice for businesses striving to elevate performance and amplify employee engagement using continuous feedback. The platform’s user-friendly interface streamlines feedback collection and swift sharing, fostering prompt resolution of performance issues. Moreover, it offers various features such as goal management, reviews, reminders, and dynamic goal-setting abilities.

Features:

• Effortless creation of hierarchy and reviewer assignments
• Robust and adaptable goal-setting system
• Contemporary user interface
• Highly customizable

8. Engagedly: Best for Integrations

Coming in at number 8 on the list, Engagedly’s Performance Management Software is an optimal choice for businesses looking for third-party integration to monitor employee performance and link data. Performance data with other business systems. Included in these integrations are Google SSO, Okta, Personio, ADP Marketplace, Gusto, Slack, BizLibrary, and Paylocity. Additionally, it offers performance assessments, goal tracking, analytics, and in-depth features.

Features:

• Setting and aligning employee goals
• Immediate feedback and acknowledgment
• Tools for learning and development
• Assessing competencies and tracking skills

9. Reviewsnap: Best for Goal Setting

Reviewsnap performance management software presents a reliable option for businesses seeking to enhance employee performance through goal setting. It allows assigning values to SMART goals, task addition for goal achievement plans, attaching supporting documentation for goal progress, and accessing real-time data and analytics on goal performance. Additional features encompass performance reviews and 360-degree feedback.

Reviewsnap, part of Trakstar, follows on our list. The company website hints at an upcoming rebranding to “Trakstar Perform.” Specific details regarding these changes remain unclear at the time of publication.

Features:

• Managing Employees
• Handling Applications
• Reviewing Appraisal History
• Managing Compensation
• Employee Profiles
• Managing Feedback
• Managing Goals
• Setting and Tracking Goals
• Performing Ad hoc Analysis
• Generating Ad Hoc Reports
• Implementing Cascading Goals
• Tracking Competencies
• Creating Custom Rating Scales
• Designing Custom Review Forms

10. Trakstar: Best for Coaching

Coaching is a performance management strategy that can help employees improve performance and achieve their goals. Trakstar’s performance management software includes a coaching feature that first equips leaders with the skills needed to become great leaders, then leaders can help their employees in their career plans. Other features include SMART goals, real-time reporting, engagement surveys, and continuous feedback.

Trakstar is the top choice for businesses wanting performance management software with coaching tools.

Features:

• Performance Reviews: Unlimited reviews, customizable competencies and scales, and detailed metrics tracking.
• 360-degree Feedback: Gather feedback from internal and external sources, and manage reviewer control.
• Goal Setting/Management: Create and update multiple goals, SMART/cascading goals, and task management.
• Employee Engagement: Pulse surveys, opinion polls, manager check-ins, real-time dashboards.
• Succession Planning: Identify internal candidates using a performance and growth potential grid.

Compare Top Performance Management Software

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How To Choose the Best Performance Management Software

To determine the ideal performance management software for your needs, evaluate key features, reporting capabilities, its compatibility with your tech setup, and other relevant factors.

Essential Features

Key components within performance management software encompass goal establishment, structured check-ins, and diverse feedback channels. This software streamlines performance management by consolidating real-time data regarding employee objectives and their advancements. Structured check-ins, it ensure focused discussions between managers and employees, nurturing employee development and achievements.

Moreover, this software facilitates feedback receipt not just from managers but also from peers, customers, and other invested parties. Various feedback mechanisms, such as 360-degree reviews and individual meeting notes, enrich the array of feedback avenues within performance management systems.

Analytics and Reporting

Analytical and reporting instruments don’t just monitor software utilization; they also chart an employee’s advancement toward their objective(s). These usage analyses aid HR teams in evaluating the effectiveness of the performance management tool and determining potential avenues for maximizing its utility within the workforce.

Progress reports play a pivotal role in maintaining employee drive toward attaining their professional aspirations. They empower managers to discern high achievers from those facing challenges, enabling tailored support strategies for each category.

Integrations

The preferred performance management solution should seamlessly operate and communicate with other applications commonly used by your employees, like the learning management system. Without this integration, there’s a risk of duplicated or lost information, leading to user frustration when navigating multiple tools.

Ease of Use

Effortless usability is crucial for performance management software; otherwise, it becomes a hindrance, elongating critical processes like annual employee reviews. For instance, employees should seamlessly add and adjust their goals, while incoming managers must easily access notes from their employees’ previous supervisors.

Customer Support and Training

Utilize available demos and trials to explore the software, and engage the vendor regarding their customer service and implementation support. Additionally, customer reviews can offer valuable insights into how effectively the solution bolsters performance management procedures.

Free vs. Paid Performance Management Software

Performance management software that’s free tends to come with minimal features and often has limitations on user numbers. Conversely, paid versions offer more advanced functionalities, and the pricing structure may be contingent on the number of users.

Providers commonly present a range of pricing models, spanning from free options to “freemium” offerings and fully paid products. The free versions cater well to small businesses seeking fundamental features. However, as these companies expand, they might consider upgrading to the paid version for access to enhanced functionalities.

Cloud-based performance management software pricing models often include monthly or annual subscriptions, offering potential cost savings. On the other hand, on-premises software solutions typically involve a one-time licensing fee.

Performance Management Best Practices

Best practices in performance management encompass several key aspects:

• Establish Clear Goals: Collaboratively set SMART goals aligning with team and business objectives, ensuring they are easily measurable and trackable.
• Utilize Software Solutions: Employ software tools to facilitate structured and secure tracking of goals and performance for both managers and employees.
• Conduct Regular Check-Ins: Foster frequent bi-weekly touchpoints between managers and employees, addressing performance issues promptly, even outside formal review periods.
• Embrace 360-Degree Feedback: Integrate feedback from various perspectives, including peers, direct reports, customers, and stakeholders. This holistic approach provides a comprehensive view of an employee’s performance, moving beyond just the manager’s viewpoint. 360 feedback also guides one-on-one performance review discussions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is performance management software secure?

Creators of cloud-based performance management software regularly release updates, including security patches, to enhance data protection. This continuous improvement strengthens security measures, safeguarding review notes and sensitive information. Consequently, cloud-based performance management software emerges as a more secure choice compared to paper-based or on-premises alternatives.

Does my company need performance management software?

While performance management can function without software, integrating software can automate and enhance the entire process. Opting for performance management software can be a beneficial solution for businesses seeking to elevate their performance management practices.

What are performance management software integrations?

Integrations refer to the connections established by performance management software with other business systems like HRIS or payroll software. These integrations serve to automate performance management procedures and enhance the precision of data.

What are some common problems with performance management systems?

Users often face issues like underutilization, misuse, bias, and lack of structure with performance management software. To address these, conduct regular check-ins alongside annual or semiannual reviews. Managers guide goal-setting for effective metric tracking. Using structured prompts helps identify performance patterns.

Why is performance management important?

Performance management software is crucial as it structures employee-manager meetings, aids in goal setting, aligns employee goals with business objectives, and helps managers cater to individual employee needs.

What Is McAfee Antivirus?

McAfee, developed by the leading cybersecurity firm of the same name, is robust security software that shields computers and devices from malware, viruses, spyware, and diverse online dangers. This antivirus package offers features like identity monitoring, password management, a fire shredder, and firewall protection. It accommodates individuals and families with different plans. Forbes Advisor acknowledges McAfee as a top-notch antivirus solution thanks to its wide range of features.

How McAfee Antivirus Works

Installing McAfee Antivirus is a breeze. Just download the software’s install helper tool, log into your account, and then follow the steps to get the software up and running.

To install McAfee Antivirus, follow these three simple steps:

1. Download the McAfee Software Install Helper tool and launch it.
2. Sign in to your McAfee account. From there, you can handle your subscriptions, auto-renewal settings, downloads, and connected devices all in one place.
3. Begin the download and installation process. Ensure you agree to the license terms and adhere to the instructions provided. Depending on your device and internet speed, the installation could take around 15 minutes or more.

SiSu Crypto’s review of McAfee antivirus software

We believe McAfee is an excellent option for those seeking cost-effective antivirus software that provides real-time malware detection across all devices. Alongside the usual features present in most antivirus programs—such as firewalls, Wi-Fi security, password management, and PC optimization—McAfee offers extra functionalities. These encompass document shredders, PC cleaning tools, identity protection, and virtual private networks (VPNs).

Pros

• Accessible on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.
• Incorporates identity protection in every plan.
• Offers real-time malware detection.
• Provides a complimentary 30-day trial.

Cons

• Limited features on Mac and iOS
• Absence of a free plan
• Lacks email security

Is McAfee Antivirus Right for Me?

McAfee Antivirus suits:

• Individuals and families: Offering user-friendly plans for individuals and families, McAfee safeguards devices effectively. While its basic plan covers one device, premium options cater to unlimited devices.
• Businesses: McAfee’s enterprise-level security shields multiple network devices. With robust features like data encryption, web filtering, and advanced threat detection, it’s ideal for organizations to secure sensitive data and networks.

McAfee Antivirus isn’t recommended for:

• Mac and iOS users: While McAfee excels on Windows, its features are limited on Mac and iOS. Notably, features like App Lock, Guest Mode, and Track Data Usage are exclusive to Android, not iOS.
• Professionals seeking email security: McAfee lacks specific email security features, which might disappoint users seeking protection against spam or viruses in their emails.

What Sets McAfee Antivirus Apart

Even after more than thirty years since its initial product launch, McAfee now offers a diverse array of products tailored to meet various needs and budgets.

Here are McAfee’s product offerings for your different requirements:

• McAfee+ Advanced: Priced from $79.99 for the first year, this product provides protection and privacy through transaction, credit, and identity monitoring. It also includes personal data cleanup to prevent online personal information sales.
• McAfee Total Protection: As the flagship product, it offers antivirus for unlimited devices, secure VPN, full ID theft protection, and identity monitoring. Starting at $79.99 for the first year, it covers unlimited devices.
• McAfee Antivirus Essential: For basic protection against ransomware, online viruses, and malware for up to five devices, this plan costs $39.99 for the first year.
• McAfee Safe Connect: Starting at $39.99 per year for the first year, this package includes McAfee Secure VPN, offering bank-grade encryption, automatic protection, and anonymous browsing.
• McAfee Mobile: Protecting Android and iOS devices, the mobile apps offer distinct features designed for Apple and Android separately.
• McAfee’s Identity Protection Service begins at $89.99 annually for a single device and covers a one-time incident. It grants access to experts for identity restoration and includes support for lost wallets containing stolen IDs, credit cards, and debit cards.
• McAfee PC Optimizer: Priced at $34.99 for the first year, this optimizer helps declutter PCs and eliminate unnecessary background programs to improve speed.
• McAfee TechMaster Concierge: Starting at $69.95 for a single device, this service offers comprehensive tech assistance, including scanning, protection, app installation and configuration, and IoT device setup and protection.

McAfee Antivirus Features

Let’s explore the primary features provided by McAfee.

Antivirus Scanner

The Antivirus Scanner features two primary scan types: Real-Time Scanning and On-Demand Scanning. Real-Time Scanning actively detects and blocks threats in real-time as they emerge, halting infected files and averting potential damage or compromise to your computer or personal data.

On the other hand, On-Demand Scanning allows for targeted scans on specific files, folders, or software. It’s especially handy for removing suspected infected files and checking external storage devices.

Firewalls

Firewalls offer extra defense for your computer by managing both incoming and outgoing network traffic. They’re created to restrict unauthorized access to your home network and lower the chances of malware infiltration.

VPN

McAfee Safe Connect VPN safeguards up to five licenses. It encrypts your data to enhance privacy and grants access to 50 server locations globally, boosting internet speed.

Password Manager

The Password Manager securely handles your passwords and credit card details. It can create intricate, unique passwords for each account and automatically fill in your credentials for easy account access.

Parental Controls

Through the family plan, you can oversee and safeguard your children using parental controls. You have the ability to monitor your child’s device activity and track their location on a live map via your phone or desktop. Tailoring rules and time limits according to their age is possible. Additionally, your child can request more browsing time or access blocked websites using the family requests feature.

Security

McAfee provides various security features aimed at safeguarding your computer and personal data from cyber threats. Standout functionalities include the file shredder for securely deleting sensitive files and the Individual Protection Score, offering a metric for your online safety. Additionally, it offers antivirus, web protection, firewall, and expert online support among its array of features.

Browser Extensions

McAfee WebAdvisor is a free product available exclusively for Windows. It includes anti-phishing and anti-exploit capabilities, safeguarding you from malicious links and hackers. It employs safe browsing, using a color-coded system to highlight safe links. Moreover, it scans downloads to identify potential risks.

Identity Theft Protection

McAfee provides various identity theft protection features to secure your personal information. The software monitors your credit report and sends alerts when it detects suspicious activity. If your wallet is lost, McAfee assists in canceling and replacing your credit cards and government-issued IDs. In case of identity theft, licensed experts are available to aid in restoring your identity and credit.

McAfee Antivirus Pricing and Plans

	Essential	Premium	Advanced
Pricing	$39.99 for the first year (renews at $119.99 per year)	$44.99 for the first year (renews at $149.99 per year)	$79.99 for the first year (renews at $199.99 per year)
Identity Monitoring	Yes	Yes	Yes
Number of Devices	Five	Unlimited	Unlimited
Password Manager	Yes	Yes	Yes
Credit Monitoring	No	No	One bureau
Identity Theft Coverage	No	No	Yes
Security Freeze	No	No	No
Parental Controls	No	Yes, but limited to Family Plan only	Yes, but limited to Family Plan only
Customer Support	Yes	Yes	Yes

Essential

McAfee’s Essential Plan stands as the fundamental antivirus software package, beginning at $39.99 for the initial year. It covers a password manager, VPN, and identity monitoring for up to five devices. Key security features encompass a file shredder, web protection, firewall, and antivirus.

Premium

Beyond the Essential plan offerings, the Premium plan extends coverage to unlimited devices. It also includes a personal data cleanup feature aimed at preventing the sale of your online identity.

Advanced

Building upon the Premium plan, the Advanced plan incorporates identity theft coverage, credit monitoring, lost wallet protection, and access to identity restoration experts. These attributes render it an excellent choice for individuals seeking to mitigate risks in the event of compromised financial accounts.

Pricing

McAfee offers various pricing options, spanning from individual plans to family plans. All subscriptions require a minimum one-year commitment as there are no monthly options available. However, with a 30-day money-back guarantee across all plans, you can explore which best fits your needs before committing.

McAfee plans to cater to one, five, 10, or an unlimited number of devices, so it’s essential to assess your requirements before signing up. Single-device plans offer most security features, making the upgrade to higher tiers primarily for covering multiple devices.

Customer Service and Support

McAfee provides round-the-clock live chat support for addressing customer inquiries. Additionally, it hosts a customer service portal featuring informative videos, extensive articles, and a support contact option for users.

McAfee Additional Features Worth Noting

McAfee offers various plans to accommodate diverse needs. However, McAfee Security Scan Plus is a free tool that scans your PC, identifying potential vulnerabilities and recommending necessary antivirus, firewall, or online protection measures. It’s a helpful tool to evaluate your system’s security requirements before making a purchase.

Fine Print

McAfee functions seamlessly on Windows and Android platforms, but its features are somewhat limited on iOS and Mac. Notably, features like App Lock, Guest Mode, and Track Data Usage are exclusive to Android apps, and not available on iOS.

The McAfee Scanner might impact system speed, particularly for resource-intensive applications. However, scheduling scans during non-active hours can help mitigate this issue’s impact.

McAfee Antivirus Alternatives and How They Compare

Like Avira and Avast, McAfee offers essential antivirus features like a VPN, parental controls, identity monitoring, and theft coverage. It’s priced similarly to Avira. Norton, on the other hand, is notably more affordable than its rivals. However, its basic features are mostly available in the higher-tier subscription plans.

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McAfee Antivirus vs. Norton

McAfee Antivirus and Norton are well-known antivirus software programs that provide a strong defense against various types of malware, like viruses, spyware, adware, and ransomware. Usually, McAfee comes with a higher price tag compared to Norton. However, McAfee’s basic plans offer more bang for the buck due to features like a VPN and identity monitoring being included.

McAfee Antivirus vs. Avira

Each software provides a set of functionalities like firewall shielding, malware defense, and a file shredder. Avira prioritizes antivirus protection and adds a virtual private network (VPN) as an extra perk. In contrast, McAfee introduces a family plan catering to parents seeking to safeguard their kids from unsuitable online apps, behavior, and content. Avira’s premium packages can accommodate up to 25 devices, whereas McAfee’s top-tier plans extend coverage to an unlimited number of devices.

McAfee Antivirus vs. Avast

McAfee and Avast both stand as reliable antivirus software, yet the ideal pick hinges on your particular requirements and likings. Avast offers a free plan capable of blocking viruses, ransomware, malware, and spam—but its functionalities are restricted. On the other hand, while McAfee doesn’t have a free option, its main package includes a password manager, web protection, and compatibility across multiple platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is McAfee a good antivirus?

McAfee stands as a top-tier antivirus, identifying malware in real-time to ensure your devices remain secure from online dangers. It provides unlimited plans suitable for multiple devices used either at home or in the office. McAfee antivirus is compatible with Windows, Android, iOS, and Mac operating systems.

Will McAfee slow down my computer?

Running active McAfee virus scans could potentially cause a slowdown in your computer’s performance. If you’ve observed a decrease in speed since installing McAfee, it might be due to the default setting of “Automatic Scans.” Disabling this and scheduling scans for times when the computer isn’t in active use can help maintain performance without noticeable slowdowns.

How much is McAfee per month?

McAfee solely provides yearly subscription options and doesn’t offer monthly plans. Opting for two-year plans unlocks significant discounts for subscribers.

Which is better: McAfee or Norton?

McAfee and Norton both provide top-notch antivirus software, boasting similar success rates in thwarting malware and safeguarding users from risky websites. Norton highlights faster scan speeds and boasts a robust dark web monitoring system, while McAfee stands out for its user-friendly interface and seems better tailored for business purposes.

What is Work Breakdown Structure?

The PMBOK® Guide—Third Edition from the Project Management Institute defines the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) as a hierarchical breakdown of project work, organized by deliverables and aimed at achieving project objectives. It encompasses the entire scope of the project and becomes more detailed at each lower level. The WBS is divided into work packages and encompasses both internal and external deliverables.

In WBS project management, several terms are commonly associated:

1. Acceptance Criteria: Defined standards required to meet stakeholder or customer expectations.
2. Budget: Project-related expenses categorized by deliverables or phases.
3. Deliverables: Products, services, or outcomes produced at different project stages. For example, in a website design project, a deliverable-focused WBS might outline items like URL, layout, and written content.
4. Milestones: Key project stages identified within the WBS.
5. Phases: Different stages of a project’s lifecycle. In a website design project, a phase-oriented WBS might encompass stages like discovery, design, and launch, rather than specific deliverables.
6. WBS: Abbreviation for Work Breakdown Structure, the hierarchical decomposition of project work.

This framework helps in organizing and managing project tasks, ensuring clarity in objectives, and facilitating effective communication among team members and stakeholders.

Key Characteristics and Components of the WBS

The 100% rule stands as a pivotal element within a work breakdown structure (WBS). It dictates that the WBS comprehensively covers all project aspects, including the accountable individual or team for each component.

Another significant attribute of the WBS is its tiered arrangement. Adhering to the 100% rule, the initial tier (Level 1) of the WBS encapsulates the entirety of the project. In instances where the project’s essence isn’t self-evident, some WBSs may incorporate a summary or project overview at this top tier. Subsequent tiers progressively dissect the project into finer details, ensuring compliance with the 100% rule at every level. For example, in crafting a WBS for a fresh website, Level 1 might encompass “Website for New Brand.” Level 2 segments then delineate the specific deliverables essential for project fruition, such as securing the website URL, designing the layout, and developing content. Each ensuing tier further dissects these elements, refining the breakdown into more granular specifics.

Why a WBS Is Helpful for Project Management

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) proves its value in project management through various avenues. To start, it dissects the project into manageable segments, alleviating the sense of overwhelm.

Moreover, it serves as a navigational guide for disparate individuals and teams engaged in the project. With numerous teams concurrently operating, coordination and integration are vital. The WBS allows these groups to concentrate on their distinct responsibilities and outcomes while comprehending their role within the broader project framework.

Lastly, the WBS acts as a robust instrument for gauging project progress, pinpointing pivotal milestones, and distributing budgetary resources. Adherence to the 100% rule assures project managers of accurate budgeting, preventing surprises stemming from unforeseen deliverables that could impede progress.

How to Create a WBS in Project Manager

To effectively utilize a work breakdown structure (WBS), it’s crucial to encompass all project components (remembering the aforementioned 100% rule) while maintaining an optimal level of detail. Surprisingly, an excess of detail within the WBS can prove counterproductive.

Below outlines the procedure for crafting a WBS:

1. Define the project: Clearly outlining the project marks the initial phase in crafting a work breakdown structure. While some projects may present a straightforward definition, others might necessitate refining the project’s scope to ensure the WBS remains appropriately scaled and manageable.
2. Set project boundaries: Once the project is articulated, establish clear boundaries regarding what falls within the purview of the WBS.
3. Identify project deliverables: High-level deliverables associated with the project, such as a Project Scope Statement or Mission Statement, should be clearly identified.
4. Define Level 1 elements: Adhering to the 100% rule, articulate the Level 1 deliverables.
5. Break down Level 1 elements: Decomposition, the process of breaking down tasks into smaller fragments, follows for each Level 1 element. Apply the 100% rule iteratively, questioning whether further decomposition enhances project management. Continue until the answer indicates no further breakdown is necessary. Upon completion of this process for each Level 1 element, the WBS is finalized.
6. Identify team members: Assign responsibility to individuals or teams for each element delineated within the WBS.
7. Create a Gantt chart: Accompany the WBS with a Gantt chart illustrating project activities across time. This visual representation aids in comprehending project scheduling and its various tasks.

These steps ensure a systematic approach to constructing a comprehensive yet manageable WBS for effective project management.

Get a quick overview of how to create a WBS using a Gantt chart on the Web site www.projectmanager.com:

1. Identify Project Deliverables

The project life cycle encompasses five key stages: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure. Each stage yields specific deliverables crucial for achieving the ultimate project completion.

Distinguish the phases within your project beyond a simple task list. Utilize our milestone feature integrated into the Gantt chart tool to highlight and set these stages apart. For enhanced clarity, consider color-coding to distinctly mark and differentiate each phase.

2. List Subtasks, Describe Tasks & Set Task Owner

Side quests constitute integral components within broader and intricate quests. Similarly, in your WBS work package, they fit seamlessly as a feature. Incorporate summary tasks or work packages positioned above interconnected tasks. Depending on your WBS type preferences, these can represent either your project phases or project deliverables. Ensure to indent them for organizational clarity and structure.

3. Link Dependencies

Task dependencies refer to tasks that rely on the completion or initiation of another task. Establish connections between dependent tasks by dragging one task to the other. All four types of task dependencies are supported for linkage. Identifying these interdependent tasks at this stage prevents potential bottlenecks during the execution phase.

4. Set Resources & Costs

Resources encompass everything necessary to fulfill project phases, deliverables, and work packages. This includes team members, materials, supplies, and equipment. Leveraging your WBS enables the breakdown of project scope into work packages, facilitating resource and cost estimation.

5. Add Start & End Dates & Estimated Completion

Each task comes with a designated start and end date. Enter the task’s intended start date in the planned start date column and its projected completion date in the planned finish date column. Additionally, include an estimated completion column to denote the anticipated duration you’ve planned for each task.

6. Track Status of Control Accounts & Work Packages

Monitoring progress is the key to assessing if a project aligns with its planned trajectory. That’s where a WBS proves valuable with its control accounts and work packages. In terms of tasks, monitoring provides insights into various aspects: recorded hours, costs, priority, new communications, percentage completion, and a comparison between actual progress and the planned milestones.

7. Write Notes

Maintaining a section for notes is a wise practice. Despite the comprehensive nature of the WBS, there might be specific aspects that require attention and don’t neatly fit into its structured framework.

8. Generate Reports

Project reports glean insights from the project, providing visibility into its progress, overall status, costs, and other vital elements. Utilize our reporting tool to create a detailed report derived from your WBS. These reports condense project data and provide options to filter and showcase specific information. Moreover, they facilitate effortless sharing with stakeholders, enabling review and valuable insights.

Tips for making a work breakdown structure

When creating a work breakdown structure, adhere to these guidelines for optimal outcomes:

1. The 100% Rule: Ensure that your WBS covers 100% of the work needed to accomplish the primary goal, without incorporating irrelevant tasks. Additionally, child tasks within each level must encompass all the work required to complete the parent task.
2. Mutually Exclusive: Avoid duplicating sub-tasks or accounting for work multiple times. Violating the 100% rule can lead to miscalculations in determining project resources.
3. Focus on Outcomes, Not Actions: Concentrate on deliverables and outcomes rather than specific actions. For instance, in a bike-building project, a deliverable might be “the braking system,” while actions would involve tasks like “calibrating the brake pads.”
4. The 8/80 Rule: Determine suitable work package sizes using guidelines like the 8/80 rule, suggesting that a work package should demand no less than eight hours but no more than 80 hours of effort. Other suggestions involve considering no more than ten days’ effort or aligning with standard reporting periods. Apply common sense and judgment to decide what makes sense for your project.
5. Three Levels: Aim for around three levels of detail within your WBS. While some branches might have more subdivisions, maintaining an average of three levels ensures an appropriate scope and level of detail.
6. Assign Responsibilities: Assign each work package to a specific team or individual. A well-structured WBS eliminates work overlap, ensuring clear responsibilities for each task.

WBS Examples, Templates, and Tools

Work breakdown structure example

Consider this example while contemplating the creation of a work breakdown structure—a breakdown for constructing a house.

Observe how the principles of building a WBS are applied here. Initially, the house construction project is segmented into three major sections: foundation, exterior, and interior. These sections are then subdivided into one or two more levels, keeping the total levels to a maximum of three. The required effort for building the house is distributed among all the work packages, summing up to 100% effort. Notably, there’s no repetition of tasks depicted in this diagram. To enhance this representation further, consider incorporating the budget for each work package and assigning specific teams to each task.

Work breakdown structure template

Here are several work breakdown structure templates to kickstart your project. Easily access each template by clicking to open it, allowing you to personalize the information, layout, and design according to your needs.

Work breakdown structure tools

If you need additional support or require a more detailed and comprehensive WBS, consider using software tools. Platforms like WBS Schedule Pro and Microsoft Visio offer user-friendly software solutions to streamline the process. If you are still not satisfied, I can recommend more: EdrawMax, SmartDraw, Matchware, Lucidchart, Visual Paradigm, Creately, GanttPro, Zoho Projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is meant by work breakdown structure?

A work breakdown structure dissects a sizable project into smaller, manageable components. This simplifies the process for teams, aiding in scope identification, cost assessment, and the delegation of tasks to the most suitable team members for the job.

Why should project managers use a WBS?

A work breakdown structure enables project managers to grasp the project’s intricate details by displaying its individual components in a single document. It serves as a vital tool for communicating project budget and timeline details to key stakeholders, involving both individuals and project teams. Additionally, by dissecting the project into smaller elements, a WBS consolidates scope, cost, and deliverables into a unified and comprehensive tool.

How can a project manager get started with a WBS?

Numerous tools and software exist to aid in WBS creation. Platforms like Monday, ProjectManager, and Wrike provide templates and tools for guidance. For a more comprehensive approach, consider software options such as WBS Schedule Pro and Microsoft Visio.

Should you use a Gantt chart with WBS?

Quite a few project managers have discovered that Gantt charts complement WBS effectively. They assist teams in estimating the duration of individual tasks and visualizing the complete project timeline from initiation to completion.

Leading point of sale (POS) systems go beyond transaction processing. They streamline your daily operations by integrating tools like employee scheduling, customer loyalty programs, and inventory tracking into one unified platform. However, choosing the ideal system can be difficult. That’s why SiSu Freedom evaluated featured vendors based on a variety of criteria to compile a list of the best POS systems for small businesses in 2024.

What is a POS (Point-of-Sale) System?

A POS system, short for the point-of-sale system, encompasses both hardware and software solutions employed for transaction purposes. It aids in tasks ranging from selling products to overseeing inventory and monitoring customer data. These systems can range from simple card readers to comprehensive solutions integrating loyalty programs, scheduling, front-of-house operations, inventory management, customer relationship management (CRM), and e-commerce functionalities.

Businesses across various industries, including retail, restaurants, hospitality, and services, utilize POS systems regardless of their scale. If your business relies on any form of transaction, incorporating a POS system is likely a beneficial choice for you.

What should a POS system include?

While certain features cater more to specific industries, some are universally beneficial. Here are key features to prioritize in your POS system:

• Inventory management: A crucial aspect of any POS system is efficient inventory and order tracking. Ensure your chosen POS system offers comprehensive inventory management capabilities.
• Essential hardware: Adequate hardware is essential for seamless payment processing. Without it, you won’t maximize your POS system’s potential.
• Strong security measures: Considering the handling of customer payment details, prioritize robust security features in your POS system.
• Customer support: Access to 24/7 support can significantly impact your POS system’s performance, ensuring customers always have assistance. Moreover, effective onboarding for new businesses fosters loyalty and trust from the outset.
• Comprehensive reporting: Opt for a POS system that generates detailed sales and inventory reports based on your business performance, empowering you to make informed decisions about product priorities and business growth.

How Much Does a POS System Cost?

The cost of a POS system hinges on the type and features required, typically increasing with more functionalities. Some companies offer POS systems through monthly fees or outright system purchases.

Here are higher-priced POS features:

1. Credit card processing: Monthly fees are common for credit and debit card processing across most POS systems.
2. Inventory management: While some POS systems include inventory management, others mandate a separate system purchase.
3. Customer loyalty programs: Monthly fees are usual for offering customer loyalty programs; often available as an optional add-on rather than an inherent feature.
4. Reporting: Basic reporting comes with most POS systems, while more advanced reports may require higher-tiered plans or third-party integrations.
5. Online ordering: Restaurants aiming for online ordering usually encounter monthly fees in most POS systems, coupled with potential third-party expenses like fees for platforms like DoorDash or Uber Eats.

To mitigate costs, seek POS systems offering free trial periods for system testing before committing long-term. Look for discounts like seasonal promotions or referral programs. However, the most straightforward cost-cutting method is to pay solely for the necessary services.

Additionally, consider hardware expenses like receipt printers and barcode scanners, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars based on quality and functionalities.

After investing in hardware and software, anticipate processing or transaction fees—usually a percentage of the total sale, along with a small per-transaction fee. For instance, if the fee is 2.5% plus 10 cents per transaction, a $100 sale would incur a total fee of $2.60.

Sample Processing Fees for In-Person Transactions

POS System	Monthly Fee Starts At	Transaction Fee Starts At
PayPal Zettle	$0	2.29% + $0.09 per transaction
eHopper POS	eHopper POS	eHopper POS
Shopify POS	$29	2.4% + $0 per transaction
Square POS	$0	2.6% + $0.10 per transaction

How To Use a POS System

After selecting your POS system, familiarizing yourself with its operation is essential. Fortunately, most POS systems are user-friendly, often accompanied by training resources or customer assistance.

For a cloud-based POS, creating an account and logging in is the first step. Then, you can swiftly add products, customers, and employees. These systems usually provide a built-in tutorial for an easy start.

In the case of a self-hosted POS, installation on a computer is necessary. Once installed, you can begin inputting products, customers, and employees. Self-hosted systems typically include a tutorial to aid in the setup.

When dealing with hardware-integrated POS, setting up devices like receipt printers and barcode scanners is more intricate. Sometimes, it may even necessitate the presence of an onboarding specialist to guide you through the process on-site or via phone. Once the hardware is in place, you can commence adding products, customers, and employees.

Once all data is entered, using your POS involves adding items to an order and processing payment—credit cards, debit cards, cash, or checks are commonly accepted.

Following payment processing, a receipt can be printed or emailed to the customer. Some POS systems also permit the sending of text or email receipts.

Reporting is a vital aspect of most POS systems, enabling the tracking of sales, inventory, and employee performance. These insights facilitate informed business decisions. Most systems offer diverse reports like sales, inventory, and employee analysis, with options for custom reports. Utilizing these reports optimally empowers you to glean valuable insights and adapt your business strategies accordingly.

Best POS Systems of 2024

1. Shopify POS: Best for Retail Businesses

Shopify POS claims the pinnacle spot in the Best POS Systems lineup. Extensively adopted by businesses of varying sizes, it shines as adaptable point-of-sale software. This transformative tool converts any mobile device into a dynamic point-of-sale terminal that seamlessly melds with Shopify’s expansive suite of tools and services. Tailored for businesses navigating both online and physical retail landscapes, it facilitates the cohesive aggregation of sales data from these dual avenues.

Moreover, it flaunts a broad spectrum of functionalities addressing inventory management, employee oversight, and the cultivation of robust customer relationships. Its hardware exudes a blend of sophistication and simplicity, housing seamlessly integrated payment processing that elevates user experience.

For enterprises seeking a comprehensive point-of-sale solution, Shopify POS emerges as a stalwart choice, adept at meeting diverse operational requisites.

Features:

• A unified back office: Effortlessly oversee products, payments, and customers across all your selling channels, whether in-store or online.
• An efficient POS app: Tailor Shopify’s POS app to efficiently serve customers both on the sales floor and on mobile.
• Seamlessly integrated hardware: Utilize Shopify POS to accept payments, seamlessly integrating with our range of payment devices.

2. Square POS: Best for Businesses on a Budget

Square POS presents an excellent choice for budget-conscious businesses, devoid of any monthly charges—simply pay a reasonable processing fee of 2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction. It boasts user-friendly operation, requiring no training for a quick start.

Capable of accepting payments in-person, online, via phone, or even at local markets, it extends functionalities to lead collection, email or text marketing, and fostering customer loyalty. Ideal for businesses aiming to broaden their sales horizons beyond physical stores, it seamlessly integrates with Instagram and Facebook while enabling centralized business management.

Recommended for budget-conscious businesses seeking an uncomplicated POS system without monthly fees.

Features:

• User-friendly interface
• Complimentary card reader
• Establishing customer loyalty programs

3. Clover: Best for Integrations

Ranked 3rd is Clover, presenting various plans and pricing options catering to diverse budgets, albeit with high hardware costs. Opting for a Clover Account sans hardware purchase grants a 90-day trial period, offering free monthly software during this trial. With user-friendliness and a plethora of features, it aids businesses of all scales in enhancing transaction management efficiency.

A standout advantage of Clover lies in its integrations. The Clover App Market hosts an extensive array of software applications designed to handle various business aspects. Seamlessly integrating with Clover devices, these apps streamline the initiation process for businesses.

Clover stands out as an excellent point-of-sale system adaptable for businesses of all sizes. Its extensive features and integrations render it a flexible solution tailored to meet the unique needs of any business.

Features:

• App Integration: Clover seamlessly integrates with popular apps like QuickBooks, Time Clock, and Yelp. Its app marketplace offers free and paid integrations for loyalty programs, online ordering, accounting, and scheduling.
• Hardware & Software: The solution includes mobile readers, handheld devices, and countertop tools with scanners and printers. Users can customize features to suit their needs, enabling easy employee management and robust reporting.
• Inventory Management: Businesses can track stock levels, manage perishable goods, and customize menus for restaurants.
• Team Operations: Clover streamlines workforce tasks, allowing role-based permissions, performance tracking, and accurate time and attendance management.
• Reporting & Analytics: Real-time sales data, employee-specific sales tracking, and comprehensive reports aid in understanding top-selling items and sales trends.
• Training & Support: SMB CompuCom professionals offer on-site installation and training for setup guidance.

4. PayPal POS: Best for No Monthly Fee

PayPal Zettle, formerly known as PayPal POS, operates with no monthly fees. Instead, fees are based on a per-transaction fee, which varies depending on the transaction method—whether it’s a card swipe or a receipt. These fees range from 2.29% plus 9 cents per transaction to 3.49% plus 49 cents per transaction. For the first card reader with PayPal Zettle, the cost is $29, while subsequent card readers cost $79 each.

PayPal Zettle is ideal for businesses that prefer to pay per transaction rather than monthly fees.

Features:

• Effortless Checkout: Easily sell products, accept various payments, and facilitate contactless transactions via your phone.
• Streamlined Product Management: Add, price, and manage products efficiently from one place.
• Business Insights: Identify top sellers, manage staff schedules, and track sales activity.
• Quick Access to Funds: Sales revenue swiftly lands in your PayPal Business account, ready for online or in-store use, or easy bank transfers.

5. Lightspeed POS: Best for Customer Loyalty

Coming in at number 5 on the list is Lightspeed POS, which is a user-friendly and adaptable point-of-sale system suitable for businesses of all sizes. The system ensures EMV compatibility and PCI compliance, protecting customer data. With real-time reporting and inventory management, tracking sales and profits is easy.

Lightspeed Subscriptions, equipped with integrated registration and membership tools, simplify customer engagement. Offering exclusive offers, discounts, and monthly product boxes helps increase customer retention. Secure automatic recurring payments to streamline membership and subscription management.

Lightspeed POS is ideal for businesses looking for a customer loyalty program.

Features:

• Extensive Preloaded Catalogs: Access over 8 million items already loaded into the system.
• Efficient Bulk Uploads: Add up to 10,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs) simultaneously.
• Low-Stock Notifications: Receive alerts when inventory levels are running low.
• Unified Inventory Management: Seamlessly manage, update, and generate reports for inventory across physical stores and online using e-commerce tools.

6. eHopper POS: Best for Omnichannel Businesses

The eHopper POS system caters perfectly to small businesses operating across multiple sales channels. Its free plan suits companies with fewer transactions, capped at 300 per month. However, paid plans offer unlimited products and transactions.

Under a one-year contract, paid plans commence at $29.99 monthly, billed annually. For month-to-month contracts, pricing starts at $39.99 per month. Opting for the OmniChannel plan, starting at $39.99 per month (month-to-month), delivers a comprehensive omnichannel experience, offering unique e-commerce and loyalty features not typically available in other plans.

Businesses engaged in in-store, online, and marketplace sales, such as Facebook and Instagram, will discover optimal value in eHopper’s OmniChannel plan.

Features:

• Barcode Integration: Seamlessly integrate barcode systems for efficient inventory management.
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Maintain and enhance customer relationships effectively.
• Customer Management: Efficiently manage customer information and interactions.
• E-Commerce Integration: Integrate with e-commerce platforms for streamlined online sales.
• Export Reports in Various Formats: Easily export reports to Excel, Text, or PDF formats for analysis.
• Import/Export Database: Seamlessly manage data by importing and exporting.
• Inventory Management: Effectively monitor and control inventory levels.
• Multi-Location Capability: Manage operations across multiple locations.
• Multiuser Login & Role-Based Access: Ensure secure access control with role-based user permissions.
• Sales Promotion Handling: Manage and implement sales promotions effectively.
• Search Functionality: Easily locate information with a robust search feature.
• Security Measures: Establish strong security measures to safeguard data.
• Vendor Management: Efficiently handle relationships and transactions with vendors.

7. Aloha Cloud: Best for Next-Day Payments

Previously recognized as NCR Silver, Aloha Cloud stands as a cloud-based POS system designed specifically for restaurants. It efficiently oversees both front-of-house and back-of-house operations, aids in customer retention and expansion, and provides actionable business insights. While it offers a free Starter plan, its capabilities are more restricted compared to the paid options. The Pro plan is initiated at $65 per month and includes online ordering functionality.

Features:

• Ideal for Table Service (TS) or Quick Service (QS) Establishments: Tailored for both Table Service and Quick Service establishments.
• Comprehensive Aloha Cloud Applications: All-inclusive applications encompassing reporting, labor management, analytics, theft prevention, guest interaction, security services, online ordering, back office remote tools, and more.
• Efficient and Accurate Food Ordering: Swift and precise entry of food orders.
• Seamless Check and Seat Splitting: Effortless splitting of checks and seats.
• Efficient Management of Multiple Bar Tabs: Streamlined handling of multiple bar tabs.
• Tip and Team Sharing in Table Service Settings: Facilitates tip sharing and team collaboration in table service environments.
• Quick Food Order Modifications: Easily modify food orders with just a few taps.

8. Revel Systems: Best for Hospitality Businesses

Ranked at number 8, Revel Systems stands out for its adaptability and robust features tailored for the hospitality sector. Its POS software encompasses a broad spectrum, ranging from user-friendly point-of-sale operations to efficient employee and customer relationship management. It seamlessly integrates various ordering methods—physical, kiosk, mobile, and online—ensuring a seamless ordering experience for customers.

The ability to oversee multiple locations via a unified dashboard is advantageous for businesses with multiple stores. Internal payment processing, paired with support for diverse payment methods, streamlines transactions. Revel’s fixed processing fee structure aids in effective cost management. Opting for Revel POS hardware guarantees software compatibility, a critical aspect for high-traffic hospitality businesses.

Revel Systems proves suitable for hospitality businesses, particularly those operating across multiple locations.

Features:

• Customizable Menu Creation: Craft a tailored menu that suits your restaurant. Enable easy order modifications and add-ons with a simple touch.
• Efficient Checkout Management: Ensure smooth checkout experiences by utilizing mobile order takers and self-service kiosks, preventing sales loss due to long lines.
• Optimized Front and Back-of-House Hardware Configuration: Configure front and back-of-house hardware setups to boost overall productivity.

9. Erply: Best for Inventory Management

Ranked 9th in the list of best POS Systems is Erply. It differentiates itself through its powerful functionality and flexible applications. Its tiered pricing structure meets diverse business needs, ranging from basic POS needs for small stores to complex inventory systems for larger retailers. The platform’s seamless integration with multiple payment providers and the adaptability of the mobile app are key strengths, facilitating smooth business operations.

Erply’s premium plans offer advanced CRM features and API access, driving improved customer engagement and enabling effective business automation. Furthermore, its extensive customization options and scalability are especially beneficial for business expansion. Demonstrating industry-specific solutions through detailed POS and inventory management systems, Erply has become the preferred choice for many different types of businesses.

Erply is suitable for businesses of various sizes, from small independent stores to large-scale businesses and franchises. However, access to inventory management features requires choosing a paid plan.

Features:

• Returns Tracking: Monitor and manage return processes efficiently.
• Retail Management: Oversee and control various aspects of retail operations.
• Ordering Automation: Automate the ordering process for increased efficiency.
• Customer Account Profiles: Maintain comprehensive profiles of customer accounts.
• Commission Management: Handle and manage commissions seamlessly.
• Barcode Scanning: Utilize barcode scanning for swift and accurate transactions.
• Loyalty Program: Implement and manage loyalty programs effectively.
• Sales Tracking: Track and analyze sales performance comprehensively.
• Gift Card Management: Efficiently manage and track gift card transactions.
• eCommerce Integration: Connect with e-commerce platforms to facilitate online sales.
• Discount Management: Manage and apply discounts efficiently.
• Inventory Management: Effectively monitor and control inventory levels.

10. KORONA POS: Best for High-Risk Merchants

Closing the list is the name “KORONA POS”, it stands out with its comprehensive features specifically designed for high-risk merchants. It offers a robust array that includes e-commerce integration, employee time tracking, loyalty program integration, EMV and mobile payment options, retail inventory management, and CRM capabilities. The system prioritizes flexibility by avoiding contracts or hidden fees and providing unlimited users and sales.

Its remarkable compatibility with high-risk commercial sectors such as CBD, liquor, wine, dispensaries, and vapes sets it apart, addressing the risks that other POS systems usually avoid. KORONA POS prioritizes scalability, ideal for businesses looking to expand or manage multiple stores. In addition, 24/7 professional support service ensures timely support for businesses.

KORONA POS is suitable for high-risk merchants looking for a flat monthly fee instead of transaction-based fees.

Features:

• Tailored to suit your needs.
• Flexible pricing options are available.
• Dependable and robust customer support.
• Unlimited free trial provided.
• Protected by a 60-day money-back guarantee.
• Expert specialists offer free demonstrations.
• No contracts or processor agreements needed.
• All-in-one POS and payment processing platform offered.
• Comprehensive reporting and analytic tools provided.

How To Choose the Best POS System

To select the optimal POS system, start by evaluating whether it offers the necessary tools and functionalities for your current and future business needs. Ideally, a POS should facilitate seamless and cost-effective payment acceptance regardless of sales location or customer payment methods. Additionally, consider the broader pricing structure. Depending on sales volume, it might be worthwhile to choose a higher-priced plan with lower transaction costs.

Consider these essential factors when choosing a POS system:

1. Plans and Pricing: Evaluate various elements related to POS pricing. While there’s typically a monthly service fee, transaction costs vary. Higher monthly fees often correlate with lower transaction fees. Analyze your sales volume to determine the most cost-effective plan. Additionally, factor in costs for purchasing hardware.
2. Software and Hardware: Beyond POS software, consider if you’ll need POS hardware like terminals and card readers, even if not immediately. Anticipate future needs as your business expands.
3. Features: While most POS systems offer similar features, they might have unique offerings tailored to specific industries or use cases. For instance, some systems may facilitate bill splitting in restaurants.
4. Ease of Use: Opt for a POS system that’s straightforward to set up and user-friendly.
5. Customer Support: Often overlooked but crucial, prioritize a system with high-quality, round-the-clock support accessible through various channels like live chat or phone assistance.

These considerations will guide you in selecting the most suitable POS system for your business.

POS Software Features

When selecting a POS system, start by assessing the specific features you require. Are you in need of basic transaction processing, or do you seek more advanced functionalities like loyalty programs, appointment scheduling, inventory management, or email marketing?

Consider these typical features in POS software:

1. Credit card processing: While all POS systems handle credit and debit cards, some might necessitate a specific payment processor, while others allow flexibility in choosing your own.
2. Loyalty: Look for systems offering loyalty programs or gift card capabilities if that’s a priority.
3. Appointment scheduling: For businesses like salons or spas, prioritize systems with online booking and appointment reminder features.
4. Inventory management: If tracking inventory levels is essential, opt for a POS system with inventory tracking, possibly even automated reordering when stocks are low.
5. Customer relationship management (CRM): Systems with built-in CRM functionalities enable tracking customer data, purchase history, and contact information.
6. Reporting: While all POS systems offer reporting, some provide more comprehensive and detailed insights into business performance.
7. E-commerce: If you aim to sell both online and in-store, choose a system with an integrated e-commerce solution, streamlining inventory and order management from a centralized platform.

POS Hardware Features

Apart from software considerations, hardware is crucial when selecting a POS system. The hardware needed varies based on your business type and desired functionalities.

Here are key POS hardware features to consider:

1. Touch-screen display: Common in POS systems, a touch-screen display facilitates easy navigation and data entry within the software.
2. Receipt printer: Essential for issuing receipts to customers, a receipt printer is a fundamental component of any POS setup.
3. Barcode scanner: For barcode scanning needs, opt for a POS system equipped with a barcode scanner.
4. Cash drawer: Another essential component, a cash drawer enables secure storage and organization of cash transactions.
5. Payment terminal: To accept credit and debit cards, a payment terminal is necessary. Some POS systems integrate this terminal, while others require a separate one for transactions.

Types of POS Systems

According to SiSi Freedom’s research, there are many POS systems available, from basic card readers to comprehensive, complete solutions. The ideal POS system for your business depends on your specific requirements.

Here is an overview of the many different types you may encounter:

1. Restaurant POS:
   Designed specifically for restaurants, these systems include features such as table management, kitchen display systems, and online ordering. Many also offer inventory management features for automatic material reordering.
2. Retail POS:
   Aimed at retail businesses, these systems include features such as inventory management, customer loyalty programs, gift cards, and sometimes appointment scheduling and reporting.
3. iPad vending machine:
   Using an iPad as the primary terminal, these mobile POS systems are gaining popularity due to their portability and user-friendly interface. They often include built-in features like credit card processing, scheduling, and receipt printing.
4. Mobile POS:
   Able to operate on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets, these systems are popular for their portability and quick setup. Popular features include credit card processing, inventory management, and receipt printing.
5. Android vending machine:
   Using Android devices as primary point-of-sale terminals, these systems are gaining traction for their portability and user-friendly interface. Features typically include credit card processing, barcode scanning, and receipt printing.
6. Cloud POS:
   Hosted in the cloud, these systems store data online for easy access from anywhere. They are gaining popularity due to their ease of setup and use, offering features like inventory management, loyalty programs, and gift cards.
7. POS terminal:
   Designed for credit and debit card processing, these terminals have features such as EMV compliance, PCI compliance, and fraud prevention, catering to businesses that need secure payment processing.

POS Systems Rating

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Point-of-Sale vs. Cash Register: Which Is Right for You?

When making a choice, you’ll need to weigh the options between a point-of-sale (POS) system and a cash register. Each has its advantages and drawbacks, so selecting the one aligning best with your requirements is crucial.

POS systems usually come with a higher price tag compared to cash registers, yet they offer an array of enhanced features and functionalities. While cash registers primarily track sales and produce receipts, POS systems extend capabilities to include inventory, customer, employee tracking, and sales analysis. Moreover, POS systems typically include features like loyalty programs, gift cards, and detailed reporting, which cash registers generally lack.

Businesses seeking comprehensive tracking of inventory, customers, and sales, along with the desire to offer loyalty programs and detailed reporting, find POS systems an apt choice. However, for businesses only requiring sales tracking, investing in a POS system might be unnecessary.

Cash registers come at a lower cost but offer fewer features compared to POS systems. They track sales but usually lack capabilities for inventory, customer management, and sales tax tracking. Moreover, they rarely incorporate features such as loyalty programs, gift cards, or in-depth reporting. Nonetheless, they are suitable for businesses focusing solely on sales tracking or those constrained by budget limitations that cannot afford a full-fledged POS system.

Which Small Business POS System Is Right For Your Business?

Finding the right POS system for your small business involves adjusting to the size, type, and financial constraints of your business. SiSu Freedom recommends that: If purchasing a POS system outright is not feasible, explore equipment financing options. Additionally, consider small business financing to secure additional capital for launching or accelerating the growth of your business.

2024 POS System Trends

Several crucial POS system trends for 2024 are emerging, and being aware of these can help keep your business competitive.

Cashless and Touchless Transactions Continue to Gain Momentum

As we step into 2024, two years post the Covid-19 outbreak, hygiene and reducing transmission concerns continue to drive the adoption of touchless payment technologies. Procurement weaknesses in infrastructure persist, making technologies like tap-and-go credit/debit cards and digital wallets accessed via smartphones or smartwatches indispensable.

These methods not only prioritize hygiene but also offer consumers swifter, more convenient, and secure transactions. Their enduring popularity stems from these advantages, persisting beyond the pandemic’s peak. Presently, around 51% of Americans use some form of contactless payments, with 67% of retailers having integrated contactless payment capabilities into their infrastructure by 2020.

More Advanced POS Hardware and Software

The era of bulky, stationary POS systems is behind us. Today, hardware compatible with POS systems is incredibly advanced and mobile, granting increased flexibility to store associates and the entire business. Anticipate witnessing a surge in smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth tech, secure order pickup lockers, electronic shelf labels, and smart self-checkout solutions in 2023.

These advancements in hardware owe their existence to both physical enhancements and technological progress. Without the strides made in the software supporting these devices, their functionality would have been significantly restricted.

Cloud-hosted POS Systems are the Future

We predict cloud-based technology has recently made a big mark in the business world and it is poised to continue shaping things for good through 2024 and beyond. Cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) systems provide smooth updates and can be easily integrated with different parts of the business, ensuring automatic, secure data backup and storage. full. full. Additionally, these cloud-based POS systems are typically cheaper, often following a software-as-a-service (SaaS) approach, helping businesses on tighter budgets.

Increased Mobility

The cloud enables POS systems to function via an internet connection, opening doors for their use on mobile devices. In the past, POS systems were tied to fixed computer stations that relied on physical connections. But now, this software can operate on mobile devices from anywhere, boosting the system’s flexibility and enhancing a business’s productivity.

Improvements in Self-service Kiosks and Infrastructure

As cloud technology evolves, self-service infrastructure is making significant advances. In addition to the familiar self-checkout found in grocery or retail stores, self-service is expanding into other areas such as comprehensive restaurant ordering/payment systems and storefronts. innovative stores where checkout and checkout become unnecessary (think Amazon Go). We predict that: by 2024, these technologies will take center stage due to their convenience, cost-effectiveness, and ability to reduce errors in the ordering and payment process.

Shopping Experience

Personalizing a customer’s shopping journey involves tailoring messages, offers, and products to match their unique behaviors and preferences. Companies can demonstrate their appreciation by proactively guiding customers to their preferred channels, keeping checkout information readily available for added convenience, enabling seamless transitions between apps and communication channels, and automatically connecting them with the most suitable resources to fulfill their needs.

Customers are aware that companies gather their data while they use the internet, and they now anticipate this data will enhance their interactions with the company. It’s certain that businesses will persist in dedicating resources to prioritize these personalized services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best POS for small business?

Forbes Advisor designates eHopper POS as the best POS system for small businesses in 2024. It earns this spot due to its free processing, hardware, and seamless e-commerce integrations, catering perfectly to omnichannel businesses or those operating on a tight budget.

Lightspeed POS secures our second spot for top POS systems, credited for its robust customer loyalty program. Enhance customer retention and spending by offering exclusive deals, discounts, and monthly product boxes, making customers feel valued and important.

Clover clinches our third top spot among POS systems, thanks to its extensive range of third-party integrations. With connections to apps like DocuSign, Xero, Mailchimp, and WooCommerce, it significantly broadens your POS system’s capabilities.

What does a POS system do?

A POS system, comprising both software and hardware, serves businesses by handling payments, sales tracking, inventory management, and linking to other business systems. Through its reporting and analytics features, business owners can make well-informed decisions about their operations.

What are the four types of POS systems?

There are four primary types of POS systems: Legacy (traditional hardware systems located on-site), Tablet-based (using tablets as the primary interface), Mobile (operating on smartphones and mobile devices), and Cloud-based (hosted on the internet, enabling data accessibility from any location).

How do I choose the right POS system for my business?

Picking the right POS system for your business depends on various factors: the type of business you run, your budget, and the essential features. Generally, it’s wise to invest in the best system that fits your budget and has room to grow with your business.

How much does a POS system cost?

The price of a POS system is determined by the features required and the scale of your business. While some systems are free, others can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars per month.

How do I set up a POS system?

The majority of POS systems provide onboarding documentation that guides you through setting up your system. Generally, this involves creating an account, adding products, customers, and employees, and then linking hardware like receipt printers and barcode scanners.

Do I need a POS system?

For a physical store, a POS system proves invaluable in handling inventory, processing payments, and tracking sales data. Even without a physical storefront, a POS system can still be beneficial for managing online orders and shipping.

Can I use a POS with an e-commerce store?

Absolutely, you can utilize a POS system alongside an e-commerce store. Many POS systems seamlessly integrate with well-known e-commerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce. This integration enables real-time synchronization of inventory between your POS system and the e-commerce store, allowing you to monitor stock levels accurately.

What is LLC?

An LLC stands as an invaluable asset for entrepreneurs, offering robust protection against business liabilities, shielding owners from personal responsibility, and allowing for tax adaptability. Despite its potency, the initial expenses for launching an LLC are notably affordable compared to other business investments.

These costs can be categorized into two sections: startup expenses and ongoing maintenance charges. The startup costs of an LLC primarily hinge on the state of registration, while there exist continuous expenses for upholding the LLC. Here’s an overview of what you should grasp regarding the financial outlay for establishing an LLC.

LLC Costs: Quick Overview

The costs linked to establishing and maintaining an LLC can accumulate. Managing the process independently can help keep expenses at a minimum. Here’s an outline of the expenses involved in starting an LLC:

• Filing fees: $35–$500
• Operating agreement: $0–$600
• Publication: $40–$1,500
• DBA fees: $10–$100
• Registered agent: $0–$300
• Business license fees: $50–over $1,000
• Annual report fees: $10–$800
• Total: $150–over $4,000

Additionally, one should factor in other expenses, such as initial setup and ongoing operational costs for the LLC, like website development, marketing endeavors, and employee-related expenditures. Taxes also play a role, depending on the profitability of the LLC.

LLC Costs: Startup

According to SiSu Freedom’s research, creating and filing the necessary legal documents to form your LLC incurs various fees. Additionally, registering your LLC with state and local governments will incur additional costs. Ensuring you have all necessary licenses, degrees, and certifications authorized by local, state, and federal authorities is important. Ultimately, how much you spend depends on your willingness or ability to handle these tasks independently.

Startup Cost Varies Depending on the Formation Method

When you set up an LLC, you’ve got three choices: DIY, using an online formation service, or hiring an attorney. If you go the DIY route, your main concern will be paying filing fees when you submit documents to the state.

If you opt for an online formation service for basic filing, you’ll face an extra cost of $39 to $79. This price can vary if you decide to upgrade your formation package or if you want the service to act as your LLC’s registered agent. Choosing to hire an attorney typically involves a flat fee ranging from $1,000 to $1,500, depending on how intricate your business is and the state where you’re establishing the LLC.

LLC Name Reservation

Regular Fee: Single payment ranging from $10 to $140.

Whether you’ve already settled on a business name or are in the initial stages of brainstorming, reserving a name beforehand can prevent its being taken before you file the articles of organization for your LLC. The expenses and duration of name reservation differ based on the state. For instance, in Alabama, LLCs need to reserve a business name for $10, whereas Florida doesn’t provide name reservation services.

Filing Fee

Typical Cost: Single payment ranging from $50 to $150.

The filing fee covers the state’s official processing and submission of your LLC application, which typically includes the LLC organization document (commonly known as the articles of organization) and, in certain states, may involve your LLC’s operating agreement. This fee varies by state, with the lowest cost being $40 (in Kentucky) and the highest reaching $500 (in Massachusetts). The filing fees in most states fall within the range of $50 to $100.

Operating Agreement

Average Cost: Ranging from $0 to $200.

An operating agreement outlines the intricate workings of an LLC, encompassing both minor and major operational aspects and defining relationships among members and the LLC. Although only a few states mandate the filing of an operating agreement during formation, it’s prudent business practice to have one, even if it’s not obligatory in your state. Crafting this agreement can be done at no cost using an online template or from scratch. Alternatively, you can employ an online formation service or hire an attorney to draft the document for your LLC.

Registered Agent

Typical Cost: Ranging from $0 to $300.

A registered agent is an individual appointed by the LLC to receive crucial financial and legal documentation on behalf of the company. This designated agent must have an address within the state where the LLC is established and must be reachable by the state for official notifications. Every state mandates that an LLC maintains an active agent on file.

You have the option to act as your LLC’s registered agent at no cost, or you can enlist a registered agent service or an attorney for this role. If you opt for an online service to set up your LLC, certain companies offer a complimentary registered agent service for the initial year and charge between $50 and $300 annually thereafter.

EIN Application

Average Cost: Ranging from $0 to $99.

An employer identification number (EIN) is a unique identifier issued by the IRS to a company, utilized specifically for federal tax payments. LLCs with multiple members or employees must obtain an EIN, yet even those not mandated to have one should contemplate obtaining it.

Obtaining an EIN becomes necessary if your LLC intends to hire employees, engage in contracts with vendors, or open business bank accounts. Applying for an EIN is free via the IRS website, although some formation services offer to manage the application process on behalf of your LLC for an extra fee.

LLC Costs: Maintenance

Following the payment of the initial startup expenses for your LLC, it’s essential to keep up with continual costs such as taxes, yearly filings, licensing fees, and any compliance services offered by an online formation company, if you’ve enlisted their services.

Annual Reports

Typical Cost: Ranging from $0 to $800.

Most states mandate LLCs to submit an annual or biennial report to the secretary of state, ensuring updated contact and financial information. If required, submitting this report might be free or could entail a processing fee, often around $50. Some states forego the report but might impose a business tax, commonly termed an “annual franchise tax,” in addition to other state taxes. Certain states may necessitate both report filing and tax payment for LLCs.

In almost all states with annual or biennial reports or tax requirements, non-compliance carries significant consequences. Failure to meet these obligations may result in hefty late fines upon eventual submission or potential dissolution of the LLC. Some states initiate LLC dissolution proceedings after a year of non-compliance. The specific timeline and late fees vary by state.

Business Licensure

Average Cost: Varies by state and business type.

While most states don’t require a statewide business license for LLC operations, many counties demand local licensure to conduct business within their jurisdiction. This implies that companies operating across multiple counties may need licenses for each specific area of operation.

Additionally, there might be specific categorical licenses essential for certain businesses, such as a liquor license or food and beverage permit for establishments like bars or restaurants. These costs remain consistent irrespective of the business type and typically amount to around $50, necessitating renewal either annually or biennially.

Taxes

Average Cost: Varies by state and business focus.

LLCs function as pass-through tax entities, implying that the LLC itself isn’t liable for taxes. Instead, the LLC’s income and liabilities are transferred to its members, who then handle the relevant taxes annually via personal tax returns. Consequently, the taxes your LLC incurs depend on factors such as your business’s specialization, the presence of income tax in your state, and the annual earnings or losses of your LLC.

Compliance Services

Typical Cost: Ranging from $0 to $300

Should your LLC opt for an online service as its registered agent or for compliance assistance, this becomes an additional ongoing expense. For instance, certain companies, such as LegalZoom, provide a compliance calendar subscription ($69/year) that sends alerts for reports and tax deadlines, aiding your LLC in staying organized and compliant.

Forming an LLC in Your State

Typically, there are separate costs and prerequisites associated with forming an LLC in specific states. Explore the guides created by SiSu Freedom to understand the LLC formation process in your specific state.

Start an LLC Online Today With ZenBusiness

Taxes

Average costs: Vary by state

Similar to individuals or other entities, LLCs are liable to taxation. The federal government doesn’t directly levy taxes on the LLC itself; instead, taxes are collected from the owners based on pass-through income derived from profits. However, LLCs can deduct certain startup expenses, which can amount to up to $5,000. These expenses may include attorney fees, market research, office space, equipment, and more.

In most states, LLC profits are taxed similarly to federal taxation, where profits pass through to members’ personal tax returns. Nonetheless, some states impose mandatory LLC franchise taxes. For instance, Delaware charges a $300 franchise fee, while California imposes a minimum annual franchise tax of $800.

At the state government level, LLCs might also encounter reporting fees. The specific fees vary among states but tend to average around $100 annually.

Registered Agents

Average costs: Ranging from $0 to $300

A registered agent serves as the primary liaison between the LLC and the state. This individual or entity accepts legal documents and mail on behalf of the LLC and handles the service of lawsuits. Any adult residing in the LLC’s registered state and available during business hours can act as a registered agent. This flexibility means businesses may not face any expenses in appointing a registered agent. However, certain service providers offer registered agent services for a fee ranging from $100 to $300 annually.

Business License Fees

Average costs: Vary based on license type

The expenses linked to obtaining a business license for an LLC can fluctuate due to several factors. Here are elements that influence the fees related to LLC business licenses:

1. Location
2. Business type
3. License duration
4. LLC revenue
5. Multi-level licensing

Certain permits and licenses tend to be more expensive due to intricate regulatory demands or the nature of specific business activities. Here’s a rundown of some of the pricier business licenses:

1. Liquor license: Particularly in regions with high demand for alcohol-related businesses, liquor licenses can range from several hundred to several hundred thousand dollars.
2. Casino license: Operating a casino or gambling establishment can rack up licensing and regulatory expenses that may reach millions of dollars, depending on your jurisdiction. For instance, Nevada’s Operator of Interactive Gaming License costs $500,000 for the initial two years.
3. Environmental permits: Industries engaged in heavy manufacturing, mining, or activities with significant environmental impacts often require expensive permits to comply with environmental regulations, leading to accumulating costs over time.
4. Healthcare facilities: Establishing and managing healthcare facilities such as hospitals or nursing homes typically involves substantial licensing fees and stringent regulatory compliance.
5. Transportation and trucking: Commercial transport companies managing extensive truck fleets need various permits and licenses, incurring fees and compliance costs that escalate swiftly.

To accurately gauge your LLC’s licensing fees, reach out to your local city/county government and state business regulatory agency. They can furnish details on required licenses, associated costs, and any specific requirements pertinent to your business type.

Annual Report Fees

Average costs: $10 to $800

State filing fees stand as the primary expense linked to annual reports, varying significantly by state. These fees range from zero to several hundred dollars, sometimes more, contingent on an LLC’s revenue or member count. It’s crucial to note your state’s annual report deadline; missing it can result in late fees, penalties, administrative dissolution, or the loss of limited liability protection.

Updating your LLC’s information might require amending it through the annual report or filing a separate amendment. Changes such as hiring a new registered agent, altering member structure, or updating the business address could each carry separate fees.

Foreign LLCs registered beyond their home state might necessitate filing annual reports in every jurisdiction where they qualify as foreign LLCs. Each state imposes distinct filing fees for this process.

If your LLC loses good standing due to failure to file annual reports and you later opt for reinstatement, additional fees for reinstatement may be applicable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it possible to set up an LLC for free?

The fee to register an LLC fluctuates depending on the state, but there exists a registration fee in each state. Therefore, despite certain companies advertising “free” LLC formation, this typically implies that the company assists in completing the LLC paperwork without charging a service fee. However, it’s important to note that you’ll still be accountable for covering the state’s filing fee.

What are the benefits of filing an LLC?

Numerous entrepreneurs opt for LLCs due to their cost-effectiveness and the provided liability protection, which is often more accessible compared to corporations. For example, an LLC’s finances are distinct from individual assets, offering a level of separation. Additionally, they usually operate as pass-through tax entities, enabling the inclusion of profits or losses on personal tax returns. The exception lies with LLCs whose members opt for taxation under the corporate structure.

What kind of tax flexibility does an LLC provide?

LLCs can choose to be taxed as sole proprietorships, partnerships, C corporations, or S corporations. This flexibility empowers LLC members to efficiently lower their tax responsibilities.

What’s the fee to register an LLC?

The fees for registering an LLC differ based on the state. They can range from as low as $35 in Montana to as high as $500 in Massachusetts.

What state has the lowest LLC fees?

Among all states, Montana, Kentucky, and Arkansas boast the lowest LLC fees.

What’s the cheapest LLC filing service?

The most cost-effective method to register your LLC is by doing it yourself via the state’s website. When seeking an LLC filing service, fees can fluctuate based on the range of services provided. Some top choices include LegalZoom, ZenBusiness, and Incfile.

Can I start an LLC for free?

There are no states that permit free LLC formation. Every state imposes a filing fee to initiate an LLC, and the most affordable state for LLC formation is Kentucky, which charges $40. If you encounter a formation service claiming to establish your LLC at no cost, this does not cover the state filing fees.

How much does it cost to form an LLC with an online service?

Using an online formation service to establish an LLC typically ranges from $0 to $79, not inclusive of state fees, for a basic formation package.

How much is a Texas LLC?

In Texas, initiating your LLC requires a payment of $300 for LLC filing fees to submit your certificate of formation to the secretary of state. Annually, to maintain your LLC’s good standing, you’ll be required to pay a franchise tax. This tax will be based on your LLC’s net surplus.

How much is insurance for an LLC?

While most states don’t mandate LLCs to carry insurance, depending on your business type, you might consider one or several of the following insurances:

• General liability insurance
• Professional liability insurance
• Business interruption insurance
• Workers’ compensation insurance
• Directors and officers (D&O) insurance

The costs for these insurances can vary significantly, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, contingent on factors such as your business’s size, location, associated risks, and annual revenue.

What To Look for in a Project Management System

The success of a project often hinges on the effectiveness of its project management system. While Asana stands as a commendable tool, it might not precisely match your team’s needs. Here are key considerations when selecting a project management system:

1. User-Friendliness: Opt for a system that’s intuitive and easy to navigate. Asana excels in simplicity, yet alternative options offer comparable user-friendly experiences.
2. Integration Capability: Ensure the system integrates seamlessly with your existing tools. While Asana collaborates well with many popular applications, less mainstream tools might require exploring other options.
3. Affordability: Consider the cost factor. Asana presents a free plan and paid options starting at $10.00 per user, per month (billed annually). Assess if this aligns with your budget.
4. Functionalities: Assess whether the system offers the necessary features like task management, collaborative tools, and a drag-and-drop interface. Asana covers fundamental task management, but if you require more comprehensive functionalities, exploring Asana alternatives might be beneficial.

Is Asana the Best Project Management System?

Asana Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Every plan, including the free one, offers unlimited tasks, projects, messages, activity logs, and storage.
• Mobile apps available for iOS and Android platforms.
• Integration for time tracking.
• Paid plans include unlimited dashboards and allow free guest access.
• Task templates are accessible with paid plans.

Cons:

• Phone support is not offered.
• 24/7 support is exclusively accessible with Enterprise plans.
• The default email notification settings can be overwhelming.
• More user-friendly tools exist.
• Improvements are needed for its user interface (UI).

Asana Cost

Asana provides three plan tiers, priced between free and $24.99 per user per month (billed annually). Additionally, it offers tailored Enterprise plans.

• Basic: Free
• Premium: $10.99 per user per month (billed annually) or $13.49 monthly
• Business: $24.99 per user per month (billed annually) or $30.49 monthly
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

When To Choose a Competitor Over Asana

There are several reasons you might opt for an alternative to Asana, despite its popularity in project management. While Asana offers numerous integrations, accessing advanced ones like Tableau, Power BI, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Salesforce requires higher-tiered plans. Competitors often provide these integrations at more affordable rates.

Asana lacks 24/7 customer support, meaning assistance beyond business hours necessitates waiting until the following day or upgrading to an Enterprise-level plan—a challenge, especially for bootstrapping startups.

Comparatively, tools like Trello and Wrike boast more user-friendly interfaces. If Asana’s UI doesn’t resonate with you or feels overly complex, exploring alternatives might be worthwhile.

Moreover, if you require robust features like resource management, Asana’s strength lies in simple task management rather than handling more intricate needs. In such cases, seeking out a different tool might better suit your requirements.

The Best Asana Alternatives of 2024

1. Airtable: Best for Advanced Users

Taking the lead is Airtable, which, akin to Asana, employs a drag-and-drop interface. However, its extensive feature set is geared toward proficient users capable of maximizing its capabilities. These encompass functionalities customized for distinct departments within a company, spanning marketing, product development, operations, human resources (HR), sales, and finance.

For instance, HR teams can seamlessly navigate the entire recruitment journey, from overseeing applications to streamlining the onboarding process. Additionally, Airtable offers tools for monitoring the sales pipeline, establishing project budgets, managing workflows, incorporating customer feedback, and aiding decision-making in marketing strategies.

It particularly suits organizations housing multiple teams that demand robust data tracking and efficient workflow management.

Features:

• Data Flexibility: Airtable offers versatile data organization, featuring tables, grids, galleries, and Kanban boards, enabling dynamic visualization.
• Collaboration Power: Team members can collaborate in real-time on the basis, of ensuring unified progress in project contributions.
• Field Customization: Airtable goes beyond traditional spreadsheets, offering customizable fields such as text, attachments, checkboxes, drop-downs, and formulas.
• Record Linking: Easily connect data across tables to manage complex projects and organize interconnected information effectively.
• Drag-and-Drop Ease: Airtable’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes rearranging data to match your workflow effortless.
• Automation Efficiency: Streamline repetitive tasks with Airtable’s built-in automation tool, allowing you to set up triggers and actions.
• Mobile Accessibility: Access and update your data on the go using Airtable’s mobile app, ensuring seamless workflow continuity anytime, anywhere.
• Integration Capabilities: Airtable seamlessly integrates with third-party apps like Slack, Google Drive, and Trello, enhancing its functionality within your existing workflow.

2. ClickUp: Best for Integrations

In comparison to Asana’s 100+ integrations, ClickUp emerges as the frontrunner with over 1,000 integrations, including Slack, API, GitHub, OneDrive, Google Drive, Zoom, Loom, Zendesk, and Time Doctor. Analyzing data from over 4,000 transitioning teams, ClickUp found that teams saved a day per week utilizing its solutions.

ClickUp features workflow automations and goal tracking, setting itself apart by introducing unique pricing termed “Let’s make a deal,” allowing users to propose their preferred price per user, per month. Otherwise, the cost remains reasonable at just $5 per member per month for paid plans.

It’s ideal for teams heavily reliant on integrations and requiring efficient workflow automations.

Features:

• Workload View: Presents a comprehensive overview of how tasks are distributed among team members, offering insight into workload distribution.
• Team Chat: Facilitates real-time communication and collaboration within the ClickUp platform, fostering seamless teamwork.
• Smart Notifications: Delivers timely and relevant updates through an intelligent notification system, ensuring users receive pertinent information.
• Custom Roles: Allows users to define and assign tailored roles within the platform, granting specific permissions to individual team members.
• Dynamic Recurring Tasks: Supports the creation of tasks that automatically recur based on customizable parameters, optimizing efficiency for repetitive work.
• Assigned Comments: Enables the assignment of specific comments to team members, turning discussions into actionable tasks.
• Docs & Notepad: Features a documentation and notepad tool for creating and storing important information directly within ClickUp.
• Customizable Board View: Provides flexibility by allowing customization of the board view according to individual or team preferences, fostering a personalized workflow experience.

3. monday.com: Best for Visual Task Management

monday.com provides an excellent alternative to Asana, especially for those who prefer visual task management. Using “pulses,” the platform allows task tracking with customizable details like colors, due dates, assigned team members, and notes. These pulses can then be grouped into “boards,” similar to Asana projects, offering users a centralized view of all project tasks.

Unlike Asana, monday.com includes features such as time tracking and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with Asana, enabling users to leverage Asana for specific tasks while accessing monday.com’s additional functionalities.

It’s a fitting choice for teams looking for visual task management and requiring features like time tracking and HIPAA compliance.

Features:

• Prebuilt Templates: Swift setup using industry-specific project and automation templates.
• Customization Features: Tailor workspaces with task column tags, colors, and background settings.
• API Integration: Extensive connectivity via the monday.com API for advanced tool development.
• Collaboration Features: Task assignment, progress tracking, and in-app communication for seamless teamwork.
• Workflow Automation: Streamline processes with a library of automation templates and customizable options.
• System Integrations: Link monday.com with essential systems for efficient data exchange.
• Adaptable Dashboards: Customize layouts to display information according to your preferences.

4. Teamwork: Best for Time Tracking

Ranked 4th on this list is Teamwork. Backed by famous companies like Netflix, Panasonic, HP, PayPal, and Disney, Teamwork prides itself on its ease of use and scalability. Its functionality also serves freelancers well, especially with its time tracking capabilities.

Teamwork includes all the same essential features as an alternative to Asana: task management, subtasks, file sharing, and comments. Additionally, it offers an important feature not found in Asana: document collaboration. Similar to Asana, Teamwork offers a free plan, although there are limitations in scope.

It’s the right choice for teams that require strong time tracking and document collaboration capabilities.

Features:

• Role Assignment Features: Tailor teams and subteams in Teamwork based on your plan.
• Gantt Charts: Available only in paid versions, interactive Gantt charts assist in timeline adjustments and adding tasks/milestones.
• Software Integrations: Teamwork supports over 80 integrations with popular tools such as G-Suite, Microsoft Office, and Zapier.
• Task Dependencies: Effortlessly include task dependencies during creation within the Teamwork platform.
• Budgeting: A recent addition allows setting hourly or fixed-fee project budgets, with automated notifications as thresholds approach.

5. Microsoft Planner: Best for Microsoft Users

Microsoft Planner is included with your Office 365 subscription at no additional cost. This makes it an excellent alternative to Asana, particularly for organizations already utilizing Microsoft products. Planner seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft tools like Outlook, OneDrive, and SharePoint, simplifying the task addition process from emails, attachments, and notes.

Planner offers features absent in Asana, such as the ability to view upcoming tasks on a calendar and receive weekly email summaries of progress. However, unlike Asana, Microsoft Planner lacks pre-designed project templates, requiring users to create their own.

It’s ideal for organizations already immersed in Microsoft products and seeking a straightforward task management solution.

Features:

• Schedule View: Understand project status by viewing task schedules and plan ahead with drag-and-drop scheduling.
• Multiple Task Assignees: Assign tasks to multiple people, a highly requested feature on planner.uservoice.com.
• Group and Filter Options: Gain deeper insights into tasks by grouping and filtering based on due dates for better deadline management.
• External User Access: Collaborate with external partners; grant access to edit tasks, buckets, and plan details.
• Due Date Notifications: Stay updated on approaching deadlines with email notifications summarizing upcoming tasks.
• iCalendar Format Feed: Import Planner tasks to Outlook for better scheduling and task tracking in your calendar.

6. Notion: Best for Templates

Notion secures the 5th spot among the Best Asana Competitors and Alternatives. Providing over 50 templates per plan, it stands as a notable substitute to Asana for teams embarking on new projects. These templates span various domains, covering product development, event planning, and social media marketing.

Much like Asana, Notion boasts a drag-and-drop interface. However, it extends further with a “block” system, enabling users to amalgamate diverse content types like headings, lists, images, code snippets, and files. Users enjoy flexibility in rearranging and customizing these blocks to align with their preferences. Notion also supports the creation of custom databases and the embedding of external websites.

It’s an optimal choice for teams commencing projects and seeking functionalities like custom databases and website embedding.

Features:

• Task Management Tools: Notion offers Kanban boards, task lists, calendars, and sprint organizers for efficient task management and project tracking.
• Team Calendar: Notion’s shared calendar displays ongoing tasks, aiding in long-term project scheduling.
• Mobile App: Access Notion’s functionalities on the go with its iOS and Android mobile versions.
• Document Handling: Upload and share images, documents, and spreadsheets within tasks and projects.
• Collaboration Tools: Share files and engage in discussions within Notion’s task comments.
• Security Measures: Integrate with SSO providers and control access with detailed permissions for tasks, teams, and projects.

7. Confluence: Best for Large Organizations

Coming in at number 7 is Confluence, which serves as a great choice for large organizations looking to increase collaboration across teams and promote internal connections. Notable companies like LinkedIn, The New York Times, and NASA rely on Confluence for their workflows.

Differentiating itself from Asana, Confluence offers robust sandboxing (unlike the less powerful version of Asana) and incorporates site versioning. Furthermore, seamless integration with Asana allows users to use Asana for specific tasks while also benefiting from additional Confluence features.

Tailored for large organizations looking for capabilities like personalized templates and optimized workflows.

Features:

• Project and Goal Alignment: Efficiently manage projects and synchronize objectives across teams for successful deliverables.
• IT Service Management: Empower development, IT operations, and business teams to provide exceptional service at a rapid pace.
• Agile & DevOps Implementation: Establish and operate a top-tier agile software organization, covering the entire process from discovery through delivery to operational phases.

8. Wrike: Best for Productivity

Wrike’s AI Work Intelligence improves productivity for individuals and businesses alike. It forecasts potential issues, allows early mitigation, and assists in prioritizing tasks by recommending which ones to address first. Users access real-time prioritization lists, suggested solutions, and risk projections.

This AI addition amplifies Wrike’s already robust toolkit. The Gantt chart visualizes project timelines and dependencies, while the Kanban board provides a clear overview of task progress and outstanding items. Furthermore, users can add subtasks, simplifying the breakdown of extensive projects into more manageable parts.

An excellent choice for teams requiring assistance with project management and task prioritization.

Features:

• File Management: Easy file access and versioning for client collaboration.
• Integrated Communication: Discussion within the work system for feedback exchange.
• Collaborative Editing: Simultaneous file access and task sharing.
• Time Tracking: Built-in timer for hourly billing tracking.
• Real-time Reporting: Easy report generation from live data.
• Visual Timelines: Clear project visualization with deadlines and milestones.
• Resource Visibility: Display of team workloads and resource availability.
• Task Management: Drag-and-drop organization for better task understanding.
• Mobile Accessibility: Dedicated mobile apps for easy access.
• Customizable Workflows: Adaptation to unique team workflows.

9. Trello: Best for Solopreneurs

Coming in at number 9 on the list is Trello, which serves as a great organizational tool not only for teams but also as a starting point for independent entrepreneurs to structure their businesses. Whether you’re a writer, social media manager, or virtual assistant, Trello’s user-friendly drag-and-drop interface simplifies task management across boards. Its Kanban view provides a quick overview, ensuring you stay on top of your process and upcoming deadlines.

Furthermore, Trello offers many integrations, allowing connection to many different work applications. For example, linking Trello to your Gmail account will notify you of comments or assigned tasks. Integration with IFTTT allows tasks to be automatically created in Asana when new cards are added to Trello.

Trello is ideal for self-employed people and small teams looking for a simple way to organize their work.

Features:

• Dashboards: Visual insights into teamwork and project statuses for customizable prioritization in Trello.
• Time Tracking: While lacking native time-tracking, Trello facilitates monitoring through work logs to identify potential bottlenecks.
• Customization: Highly customizable workspaces and boards in Trello with color-coded categories and file attachments for efficient task management.
• Reporting & Analytics: Trello offers reporting and analytics through integrations, providing automated updates on project progress to track goals.
• Budget Tracking: Trello’s templates support budget tracking by linking cards to financial tools, allowing real-time expense monitoring in workflows.

10. Basecamp: Best for Group Chats

We would like to end the list with the name Basecamp.
Basecamp offers two plans: one designed specifically for freelancers, startups, and small teams, with limited components like 500GB storage. The Pro Unlimited plan, priced at a flat rate of $299 per month (billed annually), unlocks unlimited projects, clients, and users, plus 5 TB storage, priority support, and guest access to advanced goods.

Choosing to pay annually saves 15%, while students, teachers, and nonprofits get free or discounted accounts. Basecamp is ideal for large teams, the platform’s unlimited user capabilities promote seamless collaboration, supported by group chat for easy communication between remote teams.

Features:

• Project Message Board: Central hub for project communication in Basecamp.
• To-dos Tool: Efficient task management specific to each project.
• Hill Charts: Real-time progress tracking tool for managers.
• Docs & Files: Collaborative file storage in Basecamp.
• Campfire and Pings: Robust instant messaging within Basecamp.
• Schedule: Tool for organized project scheduling.
• Bookmark: Quick saving of project items for easy reference.
• “My Stuff” Page: Personalized dashboard for users to oversee tasks, messages, files, and schedules across their projects.

Compare Asana Alternatives

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How to choose an Asana project management alternative

Are you in search of an Asana alternative but finding it difficult to know where to start? With so many project management tools flooding the market, selecting the perfect fit can be a real challenge. Here are some essential considerations to ponder when looking for an alternative to Asana.

Ease of use

When opting for an alternative to Asana, a crucial factor to consider is user-friendliness. You’ll want a tool that’s intuitive and easy to navigate, saving you valuable time that might otherwise be spent figuring out its workings.

Collaboration features

Another key aspect to contemplate when seeking an alternative to Asana is the collaboration capabilities. Seek a tool that enables task assignment, smooth communication among team members, and easy file sharing.

Customization options

Search for a tool that permits customization of task views, project fields, and various settings to align with your team’s distinct requirements. This customization will enable you to tailor the tool to your workflow, enhancing its efficiency.

Pricing and value

Take into account both the tool’s cost and the features included at that price point. Seek tools that provide various pricing plans catering to different budgets and requirements. Compare the features and advantages of each plan to identify the one that delivers the most value for your team.

Integration with other tools

Lastly, explore the integration capabilities of an alternative to Asana. Search for tools that seamlessly integrate with your team’s existing tools like email, calendars, or other project management software. This integration will streamline your workflow and minimize the necessity to switch between multiple tools.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best Asana alternative for small business?

Notion serves as an excellent competitor to Asana, particularly for small teams and businesses. It boasts over 50 templates for various workflow types, offering user-friendly functionality at a low monthly cost.

What is the best Asana alternative for large organizations?

Confluence stands out as the top alternative to Asana for large organizations. It provides unique features that Asana lacks, including customizable templates and workflows.

Why are people looking for Asana alternatives?

Certain individuals might seek alternatives to Asana because of pricing concerns, complexity, or specific feature requirements.

Is Trello better than Asana?

The choice hinges on your team’s needs and preferences: Trello leans toward visuality, whereas Asana favors structure.

Is there a free version of Asana?

Asana offers a free version with unlimited tasks, projects, messages, activity logs, and file storage. It supports collaboration with up to 15 teammates, includes a mobile app, and provides numerous integrations.

Is Asana better than monday.com?

Asana surpasses monday.com in task management and boasts a lower monthly price, considering that monday.com requires payment for a minimum of three seats. Additionally, Asana provides more integrations. On the other hand, monday.com excels in project management and offers round-the-clock support.

Is Asana better than Trello?

Trello suits freelancers and small teams for project and pipeline tracking, while Asana excels as a collaboration tool. Trello’s user-friendliness, visual nature, and Kanban-style board set it apart.